Accidents piling up on Railroad Canyon Road in Canyon Lake

Major accidents the past few weeks have resulted in major injuries, a death and full road closures on Railroad Canyon Road in Canyon Lake.

The latest accidents occurred on back-to-back days. One major accident occured in front of the Canyon Lake Country Club and Golf Course on July 2, while another more minor accident took place at the same location the next evening. Traffic was snarled for hours both days as investigations and clean up occured.

At about 2:40 a.m. a fatality occured on June 17 where Canyon Lake resident Michael Thomas Dubay was killed after being hit by a car while he crossed Railroad Canyon Road at the Main Gate. Later that morning, the road was still closed and traffic was diverted.

On July 2, 2021, around 4:03 p.m., deputies assigned to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Lake Elsinore Station, responded to a major injury traffic collision on Railroad Canyon Rd. and Country Club Dr., in Canyon Lake.

Deputies arrived within minutes and located three vehicles in the roadway. Two drivers were transported to the hospital in critical condition and underwent surgery. One driver was uninjured in the collision.

Preliminary investigation indicates one of the drivers was driving at a high rate of speed, lost control and collided with another vehicle traveling the opposite direction, head-on, causing a collision with a third vehicle. Drugs appear to be a factor in the collision. The Lake Elsinore Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team is investigating.

The accident the next day on July 3 took place around 7:00 p.m. and one of the vehicles involved caught on fire. After the fire was extinguished, the wreckage was cleared and Railroad Canyon Road was fully reopened. There were minor injuries.

As previously reported in The Friday Flyer, the fatal accident on June 17 took the life of Michael Thomas Dubry, 29. The man was struck and killed as he crossed Railroad Canyon Road’s eastbound lane. The driver of the vehicle was not identified by local police, but was not initially charged with any wrongdoing.

Michael was apparently crossing the intersection near the Main Gate in Canyon Lake at approximately 2:40 a.m. when he was hit by the vehicle. Deputies from the City of Canyon Lake’s contracted Sheriff Department arrived within minutes. CalFire quickly responded as well and pronounced Michael deceased at the scene.

“Preliminary investigation indicated the pedestrian was walking across Railroad Canyon Rd., outside of the marked crosswalk, and was struck by an approaching vehicle,” Sergeant Brad Foster of the Sheriff’s Department said. “The driver of the vehicle was not injured in the collision. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor in the collision. The Lake Elsinore Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team is investigating.”

The eastbound lane of Railroad Canyon Road was closed during the initial investigation until about 8:00 a.m.