Palm Springs collision victim came from 'tight-knit family,' was a mother and grandmother

Exqulittia Kirkwood's family meets every Sunday for dinner and she fought back tears as she realized this week's gathering wouldn't include her aunt, Adele Johnson.

On Monday afternoon — the day after the family's last dinner together — Johnson died in a five-vehicle collision that also claimed the life of another woman on Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

It happened without warning. And now a photo of a dressed up Johnson, which was taken just a week earlier for her brother's wedding, is being used for her obituary.

"It's been extremely, extremely difficult. It's just surreal. Every day, I'm just expecting her to call me," said Kirkwood, 45.

Johnson, 51, had just left her home in northern Palm Springs to visit her daughter in Indio. She was at a stop sign in her Mitsubishi Montero when she became involved in the collision that left vehicles scattered across Indian Canyon near Tramview Road.

Palm Springs resident Desseree Lopez, 34, also was killed in the collision and three others were hospitalized with serious injuries. Hundreds of homes and businesses lost electricity after a utility pole was damaged and Indian Canyon was shut down for about 15 hours between Interstate 10 and San Rafael Drive. 

Police said Thursday that one of the victims had been discharged from the hospital.

The Desert Sun could not reach Lopez's family for comment. But loved ones told KESQ she died the day after she returned from a Las Vegas trip. They described her as kind, loyal and patient.

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Palm Springs police said a southbound Dodge Ram pickup caused the chain reaction about 4:45 p.m. Its driver survived and police ruled out drugs and alcohol as contributing factors.

Few other details about the collision have been released and the exact cause remains under investigation.

As Johnson's loved ones look for answers, the "tight-knit family" can only mourn the loss of a woman who was independent, a workaholic and "such an outgoing person," Kirkwood said.

Johnson was mother to four adults and had three grandchildren, with a fourth on the way. A certified nursing assistant, she most recently worked as a cashier at a local Chevron gas station, where she could maintain her own schedule and be close enough to family members living nearby, including her mother, whom she took care of.

She liked being on beaches and enjoyed dressing up and doing her hair.

Johnson and Kirkwood were close in age and both raised by Kirkwood's mother. As a result, they were more like sisters than aunt and niece.

The collision happened two years after Kirkwood's sister died from health complications at 47 years old. The timing has only created a heavier burden on the family.

"It feels like a Band-Aid — it's been ripped off and the wound hasn't healed," Kirkwood said. 

Funeral services for Johnson are planned for Sept. 5 at 11 a.m. at Ajalon Missionary Baptist Church in Palm Springs Family members have set up a gofundme.com account for contributions.

Kirkwood said, "I just want the world to know she was just a beautiful person."

Desert Sun reporter Colin Atagi covers crime, public safety and road and highwaysafety. He can be reached at Colin.Atagi@desertsun.com or follow him at @tdscolinatagi.