On Saturday, May 23, 2015, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a single vehicle collision on Red Cloud Mine Road and Meers Point Road in the Martinez Lake area about 18 miles north of Yuma.
The initial investigation revealed that a black, 2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX 4 seat UTV was southbound on Red Cloud Mine Road when the driver lost control of the UTV and struck a tree. The driver of the UTV, Ryan Swierk, 31, of Jamul, California, was declared dead, at the scene.
The passenger, Julio Vasquez, 39, of Chula Vista, California, was flown to a Phoenix area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Next of Kin notification has been made.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation; however, alcohol does appear to be a factor in the collision.