Results tagged “accident”

The City says no, that intersections with red light cameras are not more dangerous with them, pointing out that red light runner crashes are down. That may be true, but an investigative report by CBS2 finds that accidents are up at most of the red-light camera intersections if you include crashes caused by people stopping earlier than expected to avoid running a red light.

Last night during rush hour an MTA bus collided with a private vehicle near 1959 N. Glendale Boulevard and the 2 Freeway. "According to Officer Gregory Baek of the Los Angeles Police Department, the No. 92 bus was driving northbound just before the freeway ramp when the accident occurred," explains LA Now. As a result, 19 people suffered injuries, of which 10 "were taken to the hospital," and of those, one "was reported to be in critical condition," according to CBS2. The other nine injuries were described as being "as minor to moderate." Police are currently investigating the cause of the crash, however Sgt. Gregory Hoyte of the Central Traffic Division notes that "the driver seemed to have lost control of the bus and hit the middle divider [also going Northbound on the road] and another object before crashing into the car."

An early morning rush-hour accident has prompted the closure of all southbound lanes of the 5 Freeway in the Santa Clarita Valley this morning. At about 5 a.m., a big rig traveling southbound jackknifed near Calgrove Boulevard, blocking lanes and impacting one of two routes out of the valley. At 7:47 a.m., the city of Santa Clarita sent a text message alert to residents saying lanes were still closed until further notice. That means to travel to the San Fernando Valley will mainly come via the 14 Freeway and The Old Road.

For the second time in recent months, a car has crashed through a building at 7th and Flower, reports Eric Richardson at blogdowntown. This morning's two-vehicle crash sent a white Camry halfway into the restaurant Wokano at 818 W. 7th Street after it appears one of the vehicles ran a red light. The crash, which sent both drivers to the hospital, occurred around 5:45 a.m., but was cleaned up with streets open by 7:30 a.m. In late May, a car crashed through a Bank of America branch in the same building. (Photo by Eric Richardson/blogdowntown)

Last year, 40 people died statewide on roadways patrolled by the California Highway Patrol during Labor Day weekend. This year the number plummeted to 12 with 9 of those victims found not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. “Wearing a seat belt needs to become a habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Buckle up every trip, every time. It may save your life or the life of someone you love.” (we actually feel naked when our seat belt is not on). Also, DUI arrests were down 11 percent this year with 1,417 people caught by officers statewide. Last year, there were 1,586 DUI-related arrests. “Making an arrest is far easier than having to make a notification to the family member of someone whose life was cut short by a drunk or drugged driver," said Farrow. The agency credits the decline to their Maximum Enforcement Period they instituted, which assigns every available officer to the roads.

A car crash in South LA has left one person in critical condition and three others in minor condition, including two Los Angeles Police Department officers. Around 9:45 p.m. at Western and 39th Street in the King Estates neighborhood (just south of Jefferson Park), at least three cars were involved in the accident, according to the L.A. Fire Department. The conditions of the crash are not immediately known but KTLA-TV reports that the police cruiser and a SUV crashed head on. Firefighters had to free the SUV driver with jaws of life. UPDATE: ABC7-TV reports that four vehicles were involved. Two vehicles crashed into a fire hydrant and another spun out.

A driver, reported to be an elderly woman in an SUV by KNX1070, was killed when her vehicle was struck by a Metrolink train this afternoon in Pacoima. The train was heading towards Antelope Valley Los Angeles when the collision occurred at between Van Nuys Blvd. and Pierce St. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene and a bus bridge is currently continuing service for the 22 passengers on board.

A personal injury lawsuit has been filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against former USC football assistant Dave Watson, as well as the university and a local auto dealership. The plaintiff, Alaric Valentin, was a passenger in a vehicle struck by Watson's car on May 17, 2008. Watson was arrested at the time on suspicion of driving under the influence. The suit alleges that he had taken as many as seven Vicodin and several Soma pills. Valentin's attorney believes the damages (ranging from medical bills to pain and suffering) could run more than $500,000 -- far exceeding the insurance coverage on the accident.

A motorist driving on the streets of North Hollywood at around 2:15 this morning saw a body "laying near the curb" close to "the intersection of Satsuma Avenue and Vanowen Street," and made the 911 report, according to the Daily News. The victim, a Hispanic male in his 20s or 30s whose identity is being withheld until his next-of-kin is notified, was apparently struck and killed by a driver who did not remain on scene. Los Angeles police Sgt. Ben Alonso, watch commander at North Hollywood Division notes: ``There were no witnesses. But there are cameras in the area, so we're hoping to get something from them on the driver who fled." Alonso adds: ``There was no marked crosswalk where the victim was hit. So we're not sure what happened yet.'' The corner removed the body about an hour ago, and Vanowen has since been re-opened in the area.

A fiery crash yesterday evening has caused the connector road between the eastbound Artesia (91) Freeway to the northbound Long Beach (710) Freeway as CalTrans continues to investigate the deadly incident.

This morning officials will announce a new runway safety system designed to prevent airport accidents. LAX has been subject to many close calls over the years. The new safety lights, known as Runway Status Lights, are a series of red lights embedded in the pavement that warn pilots when it’s unsafe to enter or cross a runway, according to Mayor Villaraigosa's office. The system cost $7 million and has been placed on the eight highest risk taxiways at the airport.

Near the summit of the Cajon Pass, which reaches 4,100 feet, June gloom fog may be the culprit in a chain reaction crash that has involved up to 50 cars, reports the Associated Press. "There was like three, four big-rigs, a couple cars accordioned in between them. In all between the three accidents, 50 cars-plus," said one driver who zig zagged through the mess that began around 7:30 a.m.

40-year-old Donald Barrett was walking across the street when he was fatally struck and dragged by a Metro bus around 850 feet down two streets in Venice yesterday afternoon. "There does not appear to be any evidence of a crime and there are no charges pending at this time," explained the LAPD in a news release today. "The driver of the bus was transported to a local hospital for treatment of an undisclosed medical condition."

Okay, what was in the air yesterday? At approximately 4:36 p.m., a 60-year-old male driver ran into a bus stop, injuring three others and himself, according to Devin Gales at the Los Angeles Fire Department. Everyone was transported to area hospitals in minor condition except one 25-year-old female who was left in critical condition. The bus stop was located on the 14300 block of Vanowen near Van Nuys Blvd. Earlier. Earlier in the day a few miles away, a bicyclist was killed by a LADWP contractor. In Venice around the same time, a man was dragged under a bus leaving him dead.

A Los Angeles Department of Water & Power truck struck and killed a cyclist this afternoon in the Lake Balboa area. A woman in her 30s was riding her bicycle when the truck, attempting to make a right turn, ran into her shortly after 12 p.m., said Devin Gales, a spokesman with the LA Fire Department. Paramedics responded finding her trapped under the truck, located at 7447 N. Louise Avenue. The driver was a private contractor doing work on behalf of LADWP, a department spokesperson said. Further details are pending an investigation. UPDATE: The LAPD estimates her age to be between 50 and 60 years old.

Jennifer Perla and seven others, including her sister, were on the way to their Taft High School prom night at the California Science Center when the driver lost control, overturning the vehicle on the 110 Freeway. 16-year-old Perla, the only one not wearing a seatbelt, died when she apparently was thrown from the 2003 Chevrolet SUV. She was wearing a purple dress. "She looked so beautiful in that dress. She was stunning," her older brother told the LA Times. "You just can't imagine. It's horrible. Plain horrible... She was very popular in high school. Very friendly, very loving, beautiful."

After the death of a man crossing the Metro Blue Line tracks yesterday afternoon, a 49-year-old woman was left in critical condition when she was hit and trapped beneath the train shortly before 8 p.m. near Flower and Venice in downtown. Yesterday's incidents increase the train line's statistics to 93 deaths and 826 accidents, according to transit advocate Damien Goodmon who today is calling for Congressional investigation and hearing. "It is the deadliest light rail train in the nation," a news release from his Citizens' Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line group said. On Wednesday, a woman was killed by a Metro bus downtown when she was hit near City Hall

The LAPD, summoned to the chambers by City Council this week, is standing by their report about that the bicyclist ran into a hummer, not the opposite in an incident a few weeks ago. However, according to StreetsblogLA, things are not adding up: "If you believe the LAPD, [the cyclist] 'ran into the side of the hummer' then you have to believe that [the cyclist], who was wearing light colored clothing and had a rear light on his bike, backed into the side of the hummer with such force as to throw him forward.  His bike is destroyed from the rear, his injuries were consistent with being thrown forward; so the laws of physics, laws which the LAPD has no jurisdiction, don't back him sideswiping the H3." If that's true, this could get really interesting fast.

Another day, another pedestrian accident? A 60-year-old man was killed last night around 6 p.m. in Van Nuys when he was hit by a vehicle involved in a car crash. "A car was making a left from Sepulveda onto Lanark Street when it collided with an on-coming vehicle," explained the LA Times via the LAPD. "That car careened off the road and struck the pedestrian." Then this morning, two 12-year-old boys in North Hollywood were struck by a car and air lifted to children's hospital with moderate injuries. The conditions surrounding the incident near the 5 Freeway and Laurel Canyon were not immediately known.

A 50-year-old male was struck and killed early this morning by a hit-and-run driver, according to KTLA. The victim was riding on North Glendale Boulevard near Sunset Boulevard at around 1 this morning when he was hit by a silver-colored Mitsubishi. He was pinned against a car, according to reports, and a witness provided the vehicle's license plate number, although both that information and the deceased's name have not been made public.

A 2-year-old toddler was killed Saturday afternoon when he was struck by a Yukon GMC truck in the parking lot of a car wash in the Koreatown area. Luis Rojas and his 24-year-old brother were standing near their car when Rojas ran around the passenger side of the car to the back when he was hit by the 2003 Yukon. He was transported to the hospital by where he died shortly after his arrival. "There have been no arrests, and no arrests are anticipated, in this case," said the LAPD in a statement. "It is being investigated as a tragic accident."

Today the LA City Council voted to approve adding $75,000 to the already-assembled $50,000 from USC and $10,000 from the LA County Board of Supervisors as reward in the case of the hit-and-run accident that took the life of one USC student and left another critically injured, according to abc7.com. The accident happened early Sunday morning, as Adrianna Bachan, 19, and Marcus Garfinkle, 18, were walking across Jefferson at Hoover on their way home from a frat party and were struck by a driver who ran a red light. "Bachan was killed, while Garfinkle was seriously injured. The driver stopped briefly at the scene, while his passenger got out and removed Garfinkle from the hood of their car. They fled the scene, leaving the victims on the street." Although there were witnesses, the suspect remains at large. "Police are looking for a black or charcoal, late '90s sedan, possibly a Honda Accord or a Toyota Corolla, with a cracked windshield and front end damage."

Two USC students were struck by a vehicle as they "were walking in the crosswalk at Hoover Street about 3 a.m." according to abc7.com. The pair were hit by "a man driving a dark-colored vehicle east on Jefferson Boulevard," who fled the scene. The students were transported to the hospital, where the 19-year-old female was pronounced dead and the 18-year-old male received care for his "critical injuries." The incident is being investigated by LAPD's South Bureau Traffic Division.

A late-night solo vehicle crash on Jamboree Road near Camelback Street in Newport Beach left the driver dead, the passenger injured and the red Ferrari they were in split in half, according to the Press-Telegram. "The Ferrari crashed into a light pole, causing it to topple onto the luxury Italian sports car [and] was split in half, its front portion crushed by the pole." The driver was declared dead on scene, and the female passenger transported to an area hospital for treatment; their names have not be released. The accident scene bore testament to the magnitude of the crash: "Skid marks could be seen along the roadway leading up to the site of the crash. The rear of the car came to rest about 75 feet away from the point of impact." *UPDATE: Preliminary investigation determined that a second vehicle, a Porsche, was involved, and its driver, a Costa Mesa man, is in jail right now charged with vehicular manslaughter, according to an on-air report on KTLA.

A car was hit this morning when it crossed the right of way of the Metro Blue Line near 1384 E. Washington Blvd., just south of the 10 Freeway. Luckily, "it was so minor, [the driver] declined treatment and transport," explained d'Lisa Davies of the LA Fire Department. The light rail line has experienced over 800 incidents and accidents since it opened 19 years ago.

Two men were killed this morning in a collision that may have involved a wrong way driver on the eastbound 10 freeway. "At 5 a.m. we have reports of a wrong way driver, but we don't have confirmation if this is the vehicle involved or if [the wrong way driver] caused the accident [and left the scene]," Officer Jennifer Connolly told LAist.

Downtown commuters on the northbound 110 near 2nd Street were seemingly unphased as they passed the two flaming cars in the middle three lanes of the freeway this morning around 6 a.m. "Officers are still investigating the cause of the accident but believe the person responsible left the scene before they arrived," said the LA Times. No serious injuries were reported. CBS has the video.

Authorities are investigating the death of Myra Theresa Mina-Calove of Woodland Hills, who was struck and killed by an Amtrak train inside the tunnel near Chatsworth Park yesterday evening.

At 4:10 p.m. today The Los Angeles Fire Department reported they'd received notice of a "person struck by train in the tunnel north of Chatsworth Park." Within the hour, the LAFD reported that "1 female, 45, was pronounced, succumbing to injuries." There are no passengers on board who reported injuries as a result of the impact. No information regarding what train service, line, or number was involved, nor how the woman came to be in the train's path. If this is a Metrolink train, it will be the second death in less than 24 hours of a woman on their tracks This is the 2nd train-related death in less than 24-hours in the Valley; a 39-year-old woman was struck and died last night in Burbank.

Two buses traveling on the 405 Freeway North collided at approximately 9:40 this morning near the Venice exit. According to abc7.com, "at least 10 fire paramedic units were sent to a parking lot just off the 405 Freeway, at the National Boulevard offramp, following the crash," to treat "24 children with minor injuries." A steady stream of emergency vehicles moving from the scene of the rear-end collision to the parking lot of Ross Dress For Less continued for more than an hour afterward, as paramedics worked to treat the many kids who suffered injuries in the incident. To deal with the traffic chaos on the streets, "Los Angeles city transportation officers were sent to that intersection to direct traffic."