LANCASTER – A jaywalking enforcement operation in Lancaster this past weekend netted 25 citations and three arrests, including one felony warrant arrest, authorities said.
The operation took place from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 6) on Avenue I, between 10th Street West and Sierra Highway.
It was conducted by several Lancaster Station reserve deputies as part of an overall effort to reduce the increasing number of “auto vs. pedestrian” collisions in the city of Lancaster, said Lancaster Station’s Traffic Sergeant Paul Pfrehm.
More than 40 such collisions have occurred in Lancaster, this year alone, which is a drastic increase from years past, said Lancaster Community Relations deputy Michael Rust.
“The majority of these collisions are caused by somebody walking in the middle of the road, jaywalking,” Rust said, adding that some pedestrians were killed in the collisions, while others are in the hospital near death.
The two most recent Lancaster collisions caused by jaywalking were in the same area, and both pedestrians are still in the hospital with major injuries. Read more here and here.
“We’re just trying to cut down on that and bring some public awareness to it,” Rust said. “We’re taking a zero tolerance policy because of the increase in collisions.”
In conducting Saturday’s jaywalking operation, reserve deputies in uniform drove marked police cars back and forth on Avenue I, watching for people crossing in the middle of the street, Rust said.
They caught 25 people jaywalking and made two arrests for vehicle code violations.
“One person they stopped for jaywalking had a felony warrant, so they arrested him for his felony warrant,” Rust said.
Lancaster Station will conduct several more jaywalking enforcement operations in the future, according to Traffic Sergeant Pfrehm.
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Sandrita says
Avenue I is not the only place that jaywalking takes place. The focus should be on many more streets. I’ve almost run over someone because they wore dark clothing and the street lights on some of our streets are not on or have none.
It is getting to be a habit for many and when I see someone in a wheelchair or pushing a stroller, I cringe. Having a light where people jaywalk habitually would help, but then many would still just jaywalk.
Someday I know that if a jaywalker does walk out in front of me, I may not be able to stop in time so can no longer be paranoid so from now on jaywalkers you’re on your own so I hope that I do not get blamed. I do believe people of all colors, races, rich or poor do jaywalk, including too many children.
ryenisha jackson says
its because no one knows how to read so they just walk in the street you know how stupid ppl are they dont know the what a crosswalk is then there family is crying what a good person they were lol they need to at least learn how to use a crosswalk if anything
Johnny says
When those hoodrats jay-walk in front of me, i speed up. They here my turbo spool up on my turbo diesel and those [removed] start jay-runnin.
Adam Chant says
Oh! So I’m not the only one who uses my forced induction to scare the stuff out of people when they are doing stupid stuff.. I have been known to slap my SKY into neutral and pop the blow off vale a few times like a screaming banshee to alert people … I’m coming … speeding up however is not something I would consider …
Quartz Hill Resident says
Just today I saw a man in wheelchair traveling across the middle of the road and working around medians to cross the street. Sidewalks and crosswalks available and this guy is in the street in a vehicle turn lane. Is this crazy, or is this okay?
Adam Chant says
Crazy. Electric wheel chairs are considered pedestrians and not vehicles. They have to abide by all pedestrian laws and yield to vehicle traffic.
Gladys says
Maybe the guy in the wheelchair figured no one would dare to hit him!
mike rives says
I wish we had painted crosswalks on 10th St West in between those with stoplights. The blocks are so long, so they is why people cross in the middle of the street instead going to the next stoplight. I realize that it won’t stop people from doing stupid things like walking in the middle of traffic, but, at least, they won’t have a reason to do so.
richie says
just another way to suck money from you ,, you need to put in more crosswalks !
QHR says
We need sidewalks and crosswalks around Quartz Hill High School. Many students walk home towards 70th St West with no sidewalks or crosswalks.
Palmdale_Steve says
Questions: Can you pay the fines for Jaywalking with an EBT card?
Will Obama have a special program for extra money for those poor folks fines from the Popo.
Stinger says
It’s about time!
I am in full support of this operation and hope that they expand it to the many other areas in the AV that are prone to stupid people jaywalking into traffic regularly because they are just too lazy to use a crosswalk.
Cathy says
Wow. Really cleaning up the streets.
R.W says
Neither of the two auto/pedestrian accidents were within a mile of the crackdown area. Maybe if the SD had done the crackdown on 10th W between J & K it would have been more meaningful?
Adam Chant says
Yea, they are paid.. and yes your tax dollar was used for this.
A reserve LASD deputy gets paid $1.00 a year.
If you don’t like it I’ll be more than happy to pay your $1.00 knowing that this enforcement saves lives.
THAT GUY says
Then send that dollar to me… send a few of them to me for having to respond to your idiotic statement. Might wanna look a little further into it before you speak about something you don’t know everything there is to know about those volunteers your claiming tax payers pay only $1.00 a year for…you ever stop and think who pays for the cars that are clearly different in appearance then the normal squad cars? Who pays for the special insignia that pertains only to there cars? Who pays for the maintenance when those cars need repairs? Or better yet who do you think is paying for the fuel to keep them running all day and night? Or how about the uniforms, and equiptment that’s in those cars? Guess what bud, we are. Tax payers are the ones paying for every bit of that. So before you chime in with all that nonsense, might wanna look past the Volunteer sticker that’s on the side of the car or better yet don’t “Volunteer” your two cents without something more then a dollar a year… If your half the man you thought you were before making that statement, you outta send us all at least a buck just for having to take the time out of my life to educate the ignorant. Its been fun, but I gotta run… let us know when your ready to send us that money. YOURS TRULY, MR.TAX PAYER…
Straightshooter says
your an idiot- volunteers don’t get paid anything. They were talking about reserves. Maybe you should get some glasses! Reserves use the same cars that deputies use when performing their patrol duties. Would you risk your life for a dollar a year minus taxes? Seems like you have alot of time to comment on things you don’t know about.
realitycheck says
Hey McFly…aka:THAT GUY: straightshooter just schooled you! he is correct, these are reserve deputies. Much different than Volunteers. Yes, those police cars cost money to maintain, blah blah blah. But take a minute away from your ignorant post, and look back at the numerous stories on this site which document pedestrians getting killed or hurt due to jaywalking. There are many posters here requesting the cops enforce jaywalking laws. Now that they did it, for much less $ than an operation of deputies on overtime, we have fools like you whining about it. Oh yeah, “RW” who posted above asking if the enforcement should have taken place in another area: NO, have you driven on Ave I in that area lately? there are hoodrats crossing the street every few minutes. My only surprise is that they didn’t nab about 100 of these idiots!
Stinger says
Darn it! I really HATE to agree with realitycheck on anything… But I do this time.
Rats! ;-)
realitycheck says
LOL….I KNEW we had something in common!
SR111 says
Reserve deputies give up four days a week for almost a year just for the academy. I will gladly pay for the gas to have issues like this addressed. Btw I did some research and this operation resulted in the arrest of a burglary suspect with 5 arrest warrants. Oh yes I think it was fuel well spent.
Sue says
I am so glad to hear this!!!! I have almost hit several idots jay walking on Avenue J Between Divison and 20th East. Just over the weekend two girls pushing strollers!!! What great Moms!! Way to go, they almost got hit!
Terry says
Mean while elsewhere in the city real crimes are taking place.
Reserve deputies? Are they volunteer of are they paid?
I shudder to think of our Tax $$$ being used for such a frivolous purpose, of course the article fails to mention the average fine per jaywalking instance.
This may have been quite profitable for the city.
WTH says
They make a dollar per year. I think we’re getting a lot of bang for the buck.