In the quiet equestrian community of Anza, Riverside County, a Sunday night ride turned into an unimaginable tragedy on August 31, 2025. Monique Morton, a 47-year-old Air Force veteran and devoted mother of three, lost her life in a selfless act of bravery when she tried to save a fellow rider from an oncoming car on Highway 371. The incident, which also claimed the lives of two horses and left another rider critically injured, has left the tight-knit community reeling.
The group of family and friends was riding eastbound along the shoulder of State Route 371 near Contreras Road, just before 9:30 p.m., when the unthinkable happened. According to witnesses, one of the horses in the group became spooked, causing it and its rider to veer into the highway’s westbound lanes. As a 70-year-old driver approached in a 2016 Hyundai sedan, traveling at a reasonable speed, Monique Morton leapt into action. In a desperate attempt to steer the horse and its rider—a 34-year-old woman from Temecula—out of harm’s way, Morton placed herself in the path of the oncoming vehicle.
The collision was catastrophic. Morton and the second rider were ejected from their horses, and both animals perished on impact. Riverside County paramedics pronounced Morton dead at the scene at 9:25 p.m., just 226 feet east of Bailiff Road. The second rider, gravely injured, was airlifted to a local hospital, where she remains in critical condition. The driver, a 40-year resident of Anza, was unharmed and stayed at the scene, fully cooperating with the California Highway Patrol’s investigation. Authorities have ruled out speed, alcohol, or drugs as factors in the crash, describing it as a tragic accident.
Monique Morton was a beloved figure in Anza, known for her boundless compassion and passion for horseback riding. As an Air Force veteran, she carried a legacy of service, but to her friends and family, she was a “drop-everything-and-go-help-you” friend. Her husband, “Squeak” Smith, who was riding just ahead of her at the time of the crash, emphasized that the driver was not at fault. “We want everyone to know it was not the driver’s fault,” he said, his words echoing the community’s shared grief and understanding.
The loss of Morton and the two horses has shaken Anza, a small community of about 3,000 where equestrian life is a way of life. “It’s rocked the community. Nobody knows how to feel about it,” said Monica Squires, a close friend of Morton’s. Another friend, Diane Sieker, recounted the heartbreaking moment when Morton’s horse spooked, leading to the fatal sequence of events. On social media, tributes poured in, with one friend writing, “Rest in peace, my dearest Monique. Thank you for all the wonderful times and memories we shared over the past 30 years. Ride free, my friend.”
The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the incident, with both lanes of Highway 371 temporarily closed the following morning for further examination. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the CHP’s Indio office at (951) 846-5300. As Anza mourns, the memory of Monique Morton’s courage and selflessness endures, a testament to a life lived for others.