On Feb. 5 at 6:03 p.m., Laguna Beach Police responded to the report of a traffic collision involving multiple vehicles and a woman near the 30600 block of South Coast Highway, near Ruby’s restaurant. Laguna Beach Police and Fire personnel responded and gave life-saving measures. The pedestrian was taken to a nearby hospital and was pronounced dead by medics, authorities said.
“We are deeply saddened by yet another pedestrian fatality on Coast Highway and we send our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,” Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen said. “Coast Highway is owned and operated by Caltrans, and we will reach out to them to determine if they can implement additional safety improvements to make the roadway safer for pedestrians. We need to hold Caltrans accountable to find safety solutions to avoid more tragic accidents in our City.”
An initial investigation revealed that the woman was not in a crosswalk when she crossed the road, and was struck by multiple vehicles while in the southbound lanes. The woman has not been identified by authorities yet and drugs and alcohol do not appear to factor in the collision. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Those with information about the incident can contact the Laguna Beach Police Department at (949) 497-0701.
Mayor – ‘scuse me. It’s not more Government Government Government. Some loosey goosey cutting across PCH? What can you do? Give them jay walking tickets all day long to train them.
Soon, Jaywalking Is No Longer a Crime in California
January 1, 2023— A new law decriminalizing the offense OF JAYWALKING goes into effect on Jan. 1. Under the “Freedom to Walk” act, signed on …
POINTING to CALTRANS as the problem is a weak Laguna Beach council statement. PCH goes thru Laguna Beach – work with CALTRANS – pay for safety walk systems. Then just hope people are safe and use them. Perhaps give them warnings with numbers of all to date of the people hurt and killed on PCH – due to crossing the street.
Stop paying for studies to justify extra city employee bonuses and raises. Stop hiring new employees to do the job that the current people were hired to do.
The Council voted to put in a speedbump in Bluebird Canyon a Boxed Canyon that has had 4 evacuations. This will slow down emergency response to a Boxed Canyon, the fire department was against it, but the council voted in anyway. Is the City Council really looking after our safety? If they were they would do something about the speeding on Coast Highway. There should be a sign at the highway in the area where this person crossed that No Pedestrian Crossing Allowed so they can give tickets because if it’s unsafe a sign should be there now that Jaywalking isn’t a crime.
Yet, the clowns who run this state just decriminalized jaywalking.
Liza lets talk statistics ’cause numbers don’t lie: how many cars travel up or down Bluebird Canyon in a day or month or year? How many times does a firetruck travel up or down Bluebird in a day/month/year?
Seems like a once a year firetruck racing to it’s destination could SLOW for a speed bump or other if it means pedestrians/cyclists/other vehicles are safer year round.
Anyone know where we could access the data above???
And slow down people! There’s other people out there!
I am really sorry for all the victims and families involved in this accident. My larger thought and future question is – If Laguna Beach is successful in “taking over PCH” that juristriction will fall on all of us city taxpayers – as accidents, deaths, etc will continue and the attorneys will again name the City of Laguna Beach – however – we will be in a primary role…..not the 2nd or 3rd in line for the liability.
Right – it’s always the pedestrian’s fault. Not the people driving 60 in a 40, talking on their phones.
In 2016 Caltrans/OCTA published their Pacific Corridor Plan for traffic calming our arterial freeways PCH and Laguna Canyon Road, they address Laguna Beach on page 15. Had our city adopted this plan and worked with Caltrans to implement it, this tragedy would not have happened. Had Caltrans implemented their own traffic safety mandate Deputy Directive 64, there would be less urgency for Laguna Beach to take ownership of the arterials. As of 2020 Laguna’s Traffic Safety Rank Composite Score is 3/103 meaning in 103 similar cities Laguna ranks THIRD from the bottom. When will our town take these safety options seriously?
Theodore+P+Schraff+III how long have you lived in Bluebird Canyon? It’s been evacuated three times, were you living here when there was an evacuation? Were you worried about getting out before the landslide blocked Bluebird? Were you worried the fire might get into the canyon that they said the fire trucks won’t go into Bluebird if it goes there in 1993, so were evacuating everyone? Have you heard the emergency vehicles that were coming up Bluebird about every month? Were you one of the families waiting for those emergency vehicles? If you were; you’d understand but since you have no idea what those families went through during the three major evacuations maybe aske them?