Darleene Barrientos
With the death of another pedestrian on city streets this week,
Glendale Police statistics show San Fernando Road has been the site
of 30% of the city's fatal traffic accidents this year.
Claude Jean Joseph Maurel, 83, apparently tried to cross San
Fernando Road outside of a crosswalk Wednesday near Garfield Avenue,
and was struck by a car. He died of multiple blunt-force injuries,
county coroners said.
Three of this year's 10 fatal traffic accidents have occurred
along San Fernando Road.
On July 22, 65-year-old Allen LaFontain of Glendale died of a
puncture wound to his heart and head injuries after he pulled his
Lexus out of the driveway of M&M Shop at 6010 San Fernando Road and
was struck by a Chevrolet Tahoe.
Doris Hibbard, 71, of Pinon Hills, died on May 4, four days after
the Chevrolet Malibu she was riding in collided with an Acura Legend
and flipped over in the intersection of San Fernando and Sonora
Avenue.
Maurel's death was one of two fatal traffic accidents Wednesday in
Glendale. Jeffrey Krikor Edgarian, 21, of La Crescenta, was riding
his motorcycle west in the 3800 block of Honolulu Avenue when he
collided with 39-year-old Julia Nadle, also of La Crescenta.
Two fatal traffic accidents in one day is unusual, but even more
strange was the number of traffic accidents of all kinds Wednesday --
22 reported between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., according to statistics from
the Glendale Police traffic bureau. The bulk of those accidents
damaged only the vehicles involved, but five were injury accidents,
two were fatalities and three were hit-and-run incidents, said
Glendale Police traffic Lt. Don Meredith.
The fatal accidents this year do not include a suicide in which a
car and a train collided Jan. 27.
In the past 11 years, the city has averaged 8.9 fatal traffic
accidents a year.
"It seems we're pretty much on track," Glendale Police spokesman
Sgt. Kirk Palmer said. "We continue to deal with the fact that the
density in the city is very high and we're straining to accommodate
that density. As a result, we're seeing quite a few traffic
accidents. The police department continues to search for innovative
ways like pedestrian stings and enforcement solutions to this issue."
According to police statistics, other trends also have emerged.
Three of Glendale's fatal traffic accidents this year have involved
sport motorcycles. Prior to this year, the last fatal motorcycle
accident in Glendale was reported more than seven years ago.
Four of this year's fatal traffic accidents involved pedestrians.
In 11 years, the city has had an average of 3.4 fatal pedestrian
accidents, Meredith said.
When drivers pay attention to cell phones or their radios, or when
pedestrians fail to take precautions before crossing a street, that
danger is imminent, he said.
"People need to take responsibility for themselves," Meredith
said. "No matter how much education is done, we still have a problem.
It's more of an attitude that's the problem."
