It’s Martin Luther King Jr Day, and the season is in full swing here in the desert. With the increase in population, comes an increase in drivers. There were at least three major incidents this holiday weekend: 2 in Indio, and 1 in Coachella.

On Saturday morning in Indio, a crash with an unidentified number of vehicles injured three. Two victims had minor injuries, and one had major injuries. The seriously injured individual had to be cut from the wreckage. The incident took place at the intersection of Madison Street and Indio Boulevard.

Also on Saturday, a pedestrian was hit and killed by a car in Indio. The 41 year old Raul Ruelas Silva was hit at around 11:45 pm on Saturday on the 46200 block of Calhoun Street, where police say he was standing by the road. Silva was pronounced dead at the scene. The police have not commented on whether or not the driver of the vehicle stopped after hitting Mr. Silva.

On Martin Luther King Jr Day, Monday morning, a person was helicoptered to the hospital after an accident in Coachella. A black Ford Explorer truck and a dark grey Toyota sedan crashed into each other at Avenue 54 and Grapefruit early Monday at around 5:30 am. CALFire and Riverside County firefighters used the Jaws of Life to cut someone with moderate injuries out of a car and an “air ambulance” transported that person to the hospital. It is unknown at this time how many other people were involved and how the accident occurred.

The dangerous and deadly weekend is further evidence of the need to remain vigilant, particularly when it is still dark outside. It is also evidence that tragedy and misfortune can occur at any time and it is important that when it does, those in pain and those in mourning have advocates on their side.