Glenoaks Boulevard

I've lived all over the world - London, Barcelona, New York, Boston. My friends and family call me a world traveler. Now, the city where I've decided to settle down, Glendale, is home to the worst speeding I've ever seen. It's not the frequency that gets to you, it's the speed - a quiet neighborhood like ours deafened by random cars swerving through narrow streets at ungodly speeds. It's a peculiar and dangerous phenomenon. And it has to be stopped. Glendale consistently ranks near the top for having the most traffic accidents of any city in the country.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. AREA 1 East Colorado Street and South Glendale Avenue Steven Zeltner, 58, was arrested Nov. 14 on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 500 block of South Pacific Avenue Luis Abrica, 27, was arrested Nov. 15 on an outstanding warrant for possessing drug paraphernalia. East Chevy Chase Drive and Glendale (2) Freeway Jesus Alvarado, 27, was arrested Nov. 15 on suspicion of driving on a suspended or revoked license.

A woman in nothing but a pair of black high heels was detained this week after an officer spotted her in the center grass median of Glenoaks Boulevard. [ This post has been amended, see note below for details. ] An officer driving on Glenoaks near Alameda Avenue spotted the naked woman, Khadisha Baseer, about 6:41 p.m. Tuesday standing in the median where children and parents pushing strollers were walking in the neighborhood, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. As the officer tried approaching Baseer, she reportedly started yelling “Tiger sharks are chasing me” and ran into the westbound traffic lane, where she was almost hit by a passing vehicle, according to Glendale police reports.

A woman wearing nothing but a pair of black high heels was detained this week after an officer spotted her in the grass median of Glenoaks Boulevard. An officer driving on Glenoaks near Alameda Avenue spotted the naked woman, Khadisha Baseer, at about 6:41 p.m. Tuesday standing in the median where children and parents pushing strollers were walking in the neighborhood, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. As the officer tried to approach Baseer, she reportedly started yelling, “Tiger sharks are chasing me,” and ran into the westbound traffic lane, where she was almost hit by a passing vehicle, according to Glendale police reports.

PASADENA— Jurors will begin today to decide the fate of a 20-year-old Glendale man accused of paralyzing another driver in the aftermath of a 2009 car race on Glenoaks Boulevard. Deputy Dist. Atty. Susan Navas told jurors during her closing arguments in Pasadena Superior Court that the defendant, Aren Aznavoleh, had treated his car as a weapon against the victim, Rafick Darosee. Darosee, 38, was not racing when his Nissan Sentra was struck. "On January 9, Rafick Darosee lost everything," she told jurors.

GLENDALE — A 19-year-old Glendale motorist pleaded not guilty this week to hitting a car at Bel Aire Drive and Western Avenue, injuring its occupants, fleeing the crash and later reporting his car stolen, officials said. Sarmen Mehrabi on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident and two separate counts of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and causing injuries, said Shiara Dávila-Morales, a Los Angeles County district attorney spokeswoman.

GLENDALE — The aging Department of Motor Vehicles on Glenoaks Boulevard is about to get some work done under its hood — a major renovation that will close the branch for more than two months, officials said. Starting Aug. 20, the branch at 1335 W. Glenoaks Blvd. in Glendale will be closed through October as crews install a new heating and air conditioning unit, flooring, furniture, paint, signs, and wire and fencing upgrades, DMV spokesman Armando Botello said. The branch's 51 employees will be reassigned to nearby DMV offices to help with increased customer traffic, he said.

It's safe to say most Glendale and Burbank residents probably don't feel safe driving on the Glendale Speedway, aka Glenoaks Boulevard. It has come to the attention of many motorists that Glenoaks Boulevard has become a very common place for speeders, fast cars and young cruisers. Glendale and Burbank police have done their part in cracking down, but many residents would agree that not enough has been done. Although the speed limit is 40 mph on the boulevard, it has become more of a speed guideline as it is the average speed, which is more like 50 mph. To prevent any more accidents, such as the involving the young 17-year-old boy who crashed speeding and overtaking vehicles a couple of years ago on Glenoaks at Highland Avenue, police must do more.