A tragic accident occurred Sunday night in Anza, a small equestrian community in Riverside County, when a 70-year-old driver struck two women and their horses on westbound Highway 371. The crash resulted in the death of 47-year-old Monique Morton, a local Air Force veteran and mother of three, along with two of her horses. The other rider, a 34-year-old woman from Temecula, was critically injured and hospitalized. According to witnesses, the horses spooked and moved into the road, leading to the collision.

The incident has deeply affected the close-knit community of about 3,000 residents, leaving many struggling to process the loss. Authorities confirmed that the elderly driver was not under the influence and was not arrested. Friends described Morton as passionate about horses and off-road riding, and her husband was nearby when the accident happened, hearing the crash unfold.