Woman Identified in Deadly Hwy 79 Crash

The coroner's office Tuesday identified a woman who was killed a day earlier in a crash on Highway 79 near Gilman Hot Springs.

Suzanne Randa, 48, of Hemet was pronounced dead at the scene, shortly after the crash occurred at 2 p.m.

She was riding as a passenger on her fiance's motorcycle in the northbound lanes of the highway, , according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP officials say that Randa was not wearing an approved safety helmet, which likely contributed to her death.  Her fiance, 69-year-old Thomas Donohoe, also of Hemet, was wearing the correct style helmet, and managed to escape with only minor injuries.

What's more, Donohoe was not permitted to carry passengers on his motorcycle, as he only is outfitted with an instructional permit, which prohibits other people being on the bike, according to CHP Officer Darren Meyer.