Heart Wrenching

PARKS’ PLACE-There’s nothing as heart-wrenching as looking into the eyes of a mother who’s lost her child. 

The look on her face is indescribable, and unless you’ve lost a loved one, especially to violence or a tragic accident, there’s no way you’ll know how to read her. With time, the initial pain may fade, though she’ll never stop asking why…and even when she finds out the reason her child died, or who was responsible for his or her death, it will never be enough to console her.

Tuesday, January 27 marked the 4th hit-and-run death we’ve had in my district in the last 15 months. This is deplorable and frustrating and I can’t express enough my heartfelt sympathies to all the families who have been affected by these crimes.

January 27, 2015: 17-year-old Reanna Goss was killed when a vehicle struck her as she was crossing 48th Street and 9th Avenue. The driver turned himself in.

January 4, 2015: 39-year-old Treva Arnold was killed when a vehicle struck her as she was crossing Slauson Avenue and Denker Avenue. The driver has not been found. Tuesday, Council approved my $50,000 reward motion leading to the identification, apprehension and conviction of the person responsible for her death.

October 10, 2014: 56-year-old Diane Dupree was killed when a vehicle struck her as she was crossing Crenshaw Boulevard at 63rd Street. The driver has not been found. November 2014 Council approved my $50,000 reward motion leading to the identification, apprehension and conviction of the person responsible for her death.

July 20, 2013: 18-year-old Markeis Vonreece Parish was killed when a vehicle struck him as he was crossing Crenshaw Boulevard and 78th Place. Through help from the community, the Mercedes that struck him was quickly found as well as the driver who was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run.

Anyone with information about the unsolved hit-and-run crimes above is urged to call the South Traffic Division at 323-421-2577 or 323-421-2500. No piece of information is too small and you can remain anonymous. 

To anyone who may be involved in a hit-and-run incident as a driver, it is your obligation to stop and call an ambulance if necessary. In fact it’s the law. There shouldn’t be another thought that crosses your mind. If you crashed into another vehicle, would you just drive off? Busted door, scraped paint job and all? I don’t think so. 

I’ve never been involved in such an accident, but I have an idea of what may go through someone’s head in such a situation. Adrenaline is high, nerves are shot and they’re not thinking clearly. Maybe he or she has prior convictions and turning him or herself in would be the last strike, maybe the driver doesn’t have a license or insurance and doesn’t want the ticket or have their car impounded, maybe the driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs and doesn’t want that charge on their record.

Worst of all, the driver may feel if he or she just continues pushing the gas, he or she can pretend it never really happened-that they never actually hit someone- they were just imagining things.

All the while, the victim is dying in the street and may get hit again. 

Automobile collisions can be gory. But you can’t let that fear stop you from doing what is right- and that is holding yourself accountable in any accidents that you are a part of. 

As a Councilmember, I’d like to explain how my office identifies and corrects dangerous intersections.

First of all, many times change starts with a call from you. If you notice cars speeding down a certain block, or would like to suggest blinking lights or a crosswalk somewhere, call our office. From there, my field deputies will come out and do a site visit to the location you’d like to be corrected.

 

We then reach out to a variety of agencies, including the Bureau of Street Services, the LA. Department of Transportation, and the LAPD so they may research the location as far as the number of automobile incidents and pedestrian deaths there, survey any nearby signage, etc. to determine if the location is suitable for corrections, if any. An intersection may get a crosswalk and blinking lights, another one may get a stop sign, another one may not be eligible for anything at all. Everything is inspected on a case-by-case basis.

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State-wise, Assemblymember Mike Gatto introduced a bill in December that would create a Yellow Alert system where details of vehicles involved in hit-and-runs would be displayed on freeway signs near the incident, similar to Amber Alerts for missing children. Governor Jerry Brown previously vetoed the bill after being concerned the alerts would overwhelm the Amber Alert system.

 

I wish I had the silver-bullet answer to wipe hit-and-runs off the face of the planet, but I don’t. I can only stress that we all be vigilant and safe drivers and pedestrians.

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Did you read my op-ed in the Los Angeles Times on changing the city election year? If not, read it now, and if you have, read it again.  

If you’ve been regularly following my newsletter, you know I’m so crystal clear Pepsi against changing city elections from odd to even numbered years and relinquishing control of our elections to the county in the name of increasing voter turnout. 

I encourage you to read up on the charter amendments and my opposing position on the March 3 ballot so you can make an informed decision. I can’t vote for you, but I can, and I will remind you every single week that you need to register to vote NOW if you haven’t already.  

 

(Bernard Parks is Los Angeles Councilman for the 8^th Council District. He is also  former Los Angeles Police Chief. He can be reached at [email protected]) 

-cw

 

 

 

 

 

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 10

Pub: Feb 3, 2015