By ALEX GROVES / STAFF WRITER
Published: Sept. 24, 2016 Updated: 11:04 p.m.
RIVERSIDE, CA
A man and a woman riding a motorcycle in Riverside were killed Saturday evening, Sept. 24, when they collided with an SUV, according to officials.
The crash happened about 4:13 p.m. at Columbia Avenue and Kearney Street in the Northside neighborhood, according to a Riverside police news release.
Police say that a 61-year-old Riverside woman was driving her black SUV west on Columbia Avenue when she stopped at the intersection and waited for traffic to pass.
The traffic cleared and as the driver of the SUV began to turn left onto Kearney a westbound motorcycle crossed into the eastbound lanes and hit the left front of the SUV.
Police say both people on the motorcycle, a 54-year-old male and his 58-year-old female passenger, were ejected and suffered major injuries. They died by the time firefighters arrived.
Janiel Peterson, 23, who was among a bevy of people that had come to the neighborhood in the hours following the crash, identified the two people killed as her aunt and uncle, Annette Howell and Jack Howell. She said they were part of a local motorcycle club and would go on outings on their bikes regularly.
"It's just something they loved doing, was riding their motorcycles," she said.
Peterson said that authorities had not told her much about the crash or what occurred. She said she was still trying to piece together the details herself.
About a dozen people were at the corner of Kearney Street and Columbia Avenue around 6:30 p.m.
Some people identified themselves as relatives of the victims but said they didn't want to talk about what happened.
Tino Ramirez, 35, who lives on Kearney Street, said multiple accidents have happened at the intersection. "The whole neighborhood has been fighting to get a light down there on that corner," he said.
Speed kills, folks. Slow down to enjoy this short and beautiful life.