Menifee man dies in traffic collision in Lake Elsinore

A Menifee man died early Monday morning in a head-on collision with a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department patrol vehicle in Lake Elsinore, authorities said.

The Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Christian Bacilio, 21. He was the driver in a 2014 Ford Focus heading west on Riverside Drive near Lake Crest Drive at about 1:48 a.m. when the vehicle crossed over the center line and directly into the path of the eastbound Sheriff’s vehicle, which couldn’t avoid the collision, according to a Sheriff’s Department press release.

Bacilio was pronounced dead at the scene. A 21-year-female passenger in that vehicle was transported to Inland Valley Medical Center with major injuries. The 53-year-old male Sheriff’s deputy was also transported with major injuries. Both individuals had to be extricated from their vehicles.

The collision remains under investigation. Alcohol is suspected to be a contributing factor in the collision, according to the press release.