Crash Left Beaumont Freeway Worker Critically Injured

More details were released Thursday of a construction zone crash in Riverside that left a freeway worker from Beaumont critically injured.

Barry Steele, 52, of Beaumont, was struck about 10:40 p.m. Wednesday by a motorist allegedly driving under the influence, in a closed construction zone on the Van Buren Boulevard on-ramp to the westbound 91 Freeway, California Highway Patrol Officer Sylvia Vargas said.

At about 10:40 p.m. Wednesday, Brandi L. Holmes, 21, of Victorville, was driving a 1998 Mazda Protégé north on Van Buren Boulevard in Riverside, Vargas said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

Holmes turned left to travel westbound on the Van Buren Boulevard on-ramp to the 91, Vargas said.

The on-ramp was closed and under construction with workers on scene, Vargas said.

Holmes drove past the freeway closure "at a high rate of speed when she struck a moving Caterpillar loader," Vargas said.

The Mazda then continued forward to strike the concrete K-rail and a construction worker, later identified as Steele, according to Vargas.

Following the crash, Holmes tried to walk or run away, but she was apprehended by CHP, Vargas said.

Holmes was determined to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, Vargas said. She was arrested on suspicion of DUI causing injury and felony hit-and-run.

After being treated for moderate injuries at a local hospital, Holmes was booked at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, Vargas said. Holmes was held Thursday afternoon in lieu of $50,000 bail, according to inmate records.

Holmes’ right front passenger, Cordelia Moore, 19, of Riverside, was transported to Riverside Community Hospital for treatment of moderate injuries, Vargas said. Moore was determined to not be under the influence at the time of the crash.

Steele was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. He was in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon, Vargas said.

Steele was not a Caltrans worker, but state transportation officials were concerned by the incident because three Caltrans workers have been killed in the past three months in San Diego County, said Terri Kasinga of Caltrans District 8.

Steele was working for a company called Skanska, contracted on the ramp project by the city of Riverside, Kasinga said.