Pedestrian Safety

GLENDALE ? A Glendale man was sentenced to 15 years to life Wednesday for the 2005 hit-and-run murder of a Burbank teenager who was sitting in a parked car on Columbus Avenue. Andranik Atshemyan, 25, will also serve nine years concurrently for two felony counts of hit-and-run causing great bodily injury, authorities said. Pasadena Superior Court Judge Dorothy Shubin handed down the sentence Wednesday nearly three months after a jury convicted Atshemyan on all three counts in the November 2005 crash that killed Burbank resident Oscar Torres, 18, and seriously injured his friend, Jason Papricio, who was 17 at the time.

GLENDALE — Concerns about pedestrian safety prompted city officials to install traffic signals at an intersection near Allan F. Daily High School last week, which are expected to be operational in about two weeks. The quantity of pedestrian traffic around the North Kenwood Street and Wilson Avenue intersection was one of the primary considerations in deciding to install traffic signals, said Steve Zurn, director of the city’s Public Works Department. Pedestrians in the area include students going to and from Daily High School, which is at 220 N. Kenwood St., on the same block that runs into Wilson Avenue; people entering and exiting the Glendale Unified School District’s administration building, which is next to Daily High on Jackson Street; and residents, Zurn said.

GLENDALE — A man was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Sunday evening at the intersection of Colorado Street and Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale Police Sgt. Chris Spencer, said. Police had no information on the victim or the driver of the vehicle as of press time. The driver of the vehicle is at large, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz, said. The cause of the incident is under investigation, Lorenz said. This is the second fatal hit-and-run in Glendale since July, when 24-year-old Elizabeth Sandoval was killed while crossing South Glendale Avenue.

The Glendale Police Department, which has been working to deal with traffic and pedestrian safety issues, has received a grant from the state to assist in the effort. The grant, for $133,200, came from the state Office of Traffic Safety to fund activities and equipment beginning Oct. 1. A fatal hit and run accident earlier this year spotlighted the pedestrian safety issue, as did the news that the city ranks last among 50 large cities in pedestrian safety for senior citizens.

CITY HALL — Glendale Police will have more money to back a targeted response to persistent pedestrian safety hazards if the City Council on Tuesday approves a $133,000 state grant for enforcement and education efforts. If approved, the money will pay for a direct public education campaign that will see police officers and staff at high-risk pedestrian corridors interacting with walkers in attempt to get a safety message through that so far has little effect on the city's dismal pedestrian safety numbers.

CITY HALL ? A snapshot of Glendale?s pedestrian safety record given at Tuesday?s City Council meeting wasn?t a glowing one. Coming a week after the fatal hit-and-run accident that killed 24-year-old Elizabeth Sandoval, the report gave council members a broad view of how big of a problem pedestrian safety has become in the city and what the Glendale Police and Public Works departments are doing about it. Last year, there were 122 pedestrian-related traffic...

Local officials took time Tuesday to help area seniors get a little better acquainted with the city around them, as well as drop some tips on pedestrian safety. The event was a joint venture between the city, Glendale YMCA and safety advocate group Smartz Moves. Lining the walls of the YMCA's gymnasium, where the event was held, were dozens of booths promoting local organizations that event coordinators thought might interest seniors. Among those represented were Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Silver Sneakers (a fitness organization for seniors)

CITY HALL — Red-light runners beware. The Glendale City Council will consider a proposal Tuesday to start a trial program that would place cameras at certain intersections in the city to catch drivers who run red lights. This Red Light Photo Enforcement Pilot Program would aim to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by traffic collisions at intersections, according to a city staff report. Glendale Mayor Dave Weaver said he is relieved to finally have this proposal — something he said he has personally wanted for the city for 10 years — before the council.

GLENDALE — After seven pedestrians were struck by vehicles over the weekend, city officials and the Glendale Police Department are urging drivers and walkers to be aware of their surroundings , especially during the holiday season. Though no one was killed in the accidents, several injuries were reported, prompting officials to put out a call for commuters and pedestrians to do their part to make the city a safer place. "These accidents crossed different age groups, different ethnicities and occurred in different parts of the city," city spokesman Ritch Wells said.