Daniel Romo Jr. will be remembered as a Moreno Valley man whose life came to a sudden and tragic end on a Riverside freeway, leaving loved ones and the community to mourn a loss that unfolded in the aftermath of a devastating collision.
Romo, 59, of Moreno Valley, died Sunday, September 6, 2026, after sustaining injuries in a wrong-way crash on the Riverside (91) Freeway near University Avenue. The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office confirmed that he died at Riverside Community Hospital at 10:14 a.m., following an injury reported at approximately 9:33 a.m.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Romo was driving a brown Ford Flex westbound in the eastbound lanes when the SUV collided head-on with a Honda Civic. The impact redirected the Honda toward the center divider before Romo’s vehicle continued into another lane and struck a Toyota Corolla.
The drivers of the Honda and Toyota were also transported to hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to major. Authorities have not publicly released their identities or updated conditions.
Beyond the circumstances of the crash, publicly available information about Romo’s early life, career, family and personal interests remains limited. Those details have not been publicly confirmed and should not be assumed.
The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the collision, including what led to Romo traveling in the wrong direction. Whether drugs or alcohol played a role had not been determined.
Daniel Romo Jr.’s passing marks a painful loss for those who knew and loved him, and his memory will remain with the people whose lives he touched.