Mexican man killed in off-roading accident

A 34-year-old Tijuana man who crashed his all-terrain vehicle at the Imperial Sand Dunes was killed late Friday afternoon in what may be an alcohol-related wreck.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the man, whose name has not been released yet, was off-roading in an area of the dunes commonly referred to as Dune Buggy Flats.

Dune Buggy Flats is approximately one mile north of Interstate 8 and about one mile east of Gordons Well Road.

CHP Officer Eric Price said the man was riding a 660 Yamaha Raptor when he drove over a steep sand dune hill, which caused him to become airborne.

As a result, the man landed about 45 feet below the hill. Price said the man had been wearing a helmet, but due to the force at which he hit the ground, he sustained fatal injuries.

"He was camped with a small group of people and had gone out riding on his own," Price said. "Friends in his camp said he had been drinking prior to going out riding, but they didn't say how much."

Alcohol is considered to have been a factor in the accident, which was reported at about 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon.

The man who died is a Mexican national and a resident of Tijuana.   

According to a search of the Yuma Sun's archives, two other people have been killed, in two separate incidents, so far this year at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.

The first occurred on Feb. 17, when an 8-year-old girl from San Diego died in a quad accident.

The second accident happened in March and claimed the life of a Yuma-based Marine, who was killed when his all-terrain vehicle toppled over and rolled down a dune.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.