LANCASTER – A traffic enforcement operation targeting jaywalkers in Lancaster netted dozens of citations and two arrests, authorities said.
The Pedestrian Crossing Operation was conducted between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday by deputies from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
It was conducted to address the on-going problem of pedestrians walking in the roadway or crossing the street outside of a crosswalk, according to Deputy Jon White of the Lancaster Station Traffic Unit.
Over the past 12 months, there have been 61 vehicle vs. pedestrian collisions in Lancaster. Fifty-one of those collisions resulted in injuries to a pedestrian, and three of the collisions resulted in a pedestrian’s death. In each fatal collision, the pedestrian was in the roadway unlawfully and was the cause of the collision, White stated.
During Wednesday’s traffic enforcement operation, deputies were looking for pedestrians who were crossing the street outside of a crosswalk and creating hazards in the roadway. They were also looking for drivers who failed to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks.
During the eight-hour operation, 78 pedestrians were cited for jaywalking and four drivers were cited for various vehicle code violations.
Additionally, one person was cited for drinking in public, one person was cited for loitering and one person was cited for possession of marijuana.
Deputies also made one arrest for a felony warrant and one arrest for possession of a controlled substance.
Lancaster Sheriff’s Station will be conducting several more jaywalking enforcement operations in the future.
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thevoicetho says
Why does the government insist on a need for everyone to follow little yellow lines on the ground? Where’s the sting for the dozens of people that do “California Rolls” and block crosswalks everyday? Almost everytime I’ve walked around in the AV some jac-wagon in a lifted truc forgets he too has to stop at the first yellow line and ends up taking up 3/4ths of the crosswalk. Everyone’s going to take the police’s side on this website, I get that from just reading comments for the last few months, but realize it’s such a minor crime and most of the people commenting break minor laws every week, this is such a waste of resources in a city that has too much violent and sexual crimes. The police should be devoted almost entirely to cases of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence instead of trying to catch people on avenue K for having a little bag of weed or, you know, trying to catch people jaywalking. And I’m 75% sure that the reason it doesn’t list where the sting took place is because it happened on the eastside, the white people on the westside don’t need regulation even though they jaywalk just as much and are just as aggressive of drivers, they’re just redneck republicans who complain about the ghetto people on the eastside. I can generalize too, there’s an equal number of idiots on both sides of 10th West, but catching them on the eastside of that line is just so much more appealing to Lazy A** Police Department.
Chingo says
Come on… it’s jaywalking. Go find something else for your time, coppers. Everyone knows the risk they take by not choosing the crosswalk. Let them deal with it.
Patricia says
I use an electric scooter, I cross at cross walks, today at the crosswalk in the middle of the block of Fern east of Jackman, I was waiting to cross a truck had stopped one way for me to cross, here comes Lancaster parking enforcement right on through the crosswalk , all the while looking at me and laughing, so much for following the rules.
Gladys says
How about staking out West Ave J, between Valley Central and 25th West. People cross to and from the neighborhood to Food4Less, and the gas station mini mart area. They hop the gate on the south side of the street to the neighborhood or go down into the canal and make their way south to the apartments, coming out of the canal at J4.I’ve even seen people squeeze a baby stroller through the fence to the canal and head south.
How about those jaywalkers.
Barb too says
And in retrospect, by citing the adults and issuing a misdemeanor warrant for them somewhere down the road, it may cause them to also teach their little chillins’ to cross at the crosswalk also. I remember that was one of the things my parents took the time to teach me years ago! Teach your children and be a good parent! It’s their life you’re saving if you do.
AVfubar says
It’s about time, and hopefully they’ll sweep more often. Tired of the rude, inconsiderate thugs dragging their slippers across the street as slowly as possible to be a pain in the rear.
sikntired says
Ha ha Fubar., great name.
Jeff says
The Sheriff’s wouldn’t have to perform a “Jaywalking Operation” if they continually enforced the law. Since it is not enforced, people become lazy and cross wherever they like. I agree with many of the posts that detail people who saunter across the street with an expectation that everyone is going to stop for them . . . I am one who does not stop (swerve to avoid them, yes).
thevoicetho says
You just admitted to breakin a crime, pedestrians always have the right of way, quit being stupid and acting like a hard-ass, this whole thing is an obvious ploy by the sheriff’s to meet a quic quota, if people want to jaywalk let them they technically have the right to in California at their own risk. How come while this was going on the police let serious crimes go un-prevented? There’s too much murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, etc. occurring in the world and the police want the easy stings for minor possession and jaywalking instead of getting off their lazy asses and doing their real jobs. LAPD are just “laughing at people desecrated.” You saying you don’t stop for jaywalkers is worse than people jaywalking, people like you with no respect for others are the real issue in the AV
Michael Rives says
The blocks in Lancaster are two to three times longer than normal. Even then, there is no stop light at the end of them to cross. How about painting crosswalks in the middle of the blocks, so people will not be so frustrated that they want to cross the middle of the street (and risk their lives) rather than walk a mile to stop light?
wow says
Wow, there is nowhere in this entire city, where someone would have to walk a mile to a crosswalk. The very maximum is 1/2 mile, which is still a lot, but definitely not one mile. The people that are caught jaywalking, are typically very close to a crosswalk, but just too lazy to walk to it.
Michael Rives says
If you are handicapped or elderly traveling a long distance is a hardship. Get the damn paint and put some more crosswalks on 10th St West and people won’t be risking their lives to cross the damn street in the howling wind or icy cold or torrid heat. Don’t make everything so complicated.
Michele Chavez says
I agree with Michael. The solution is more paint on the ground. More crosswalks and LOWER speed limits. Also, better sight lines so that drivers can see pedestrians. That doesn’t negate the idea that folks shouldn’t cross outside of sidewalks. Jaywalking is never a good idea. But, we need to make our cities more pedestrian friendly. The world should not revolve around automobiles. Let’s make it easier, safer, and healthier for people to walk.
dumbandblind says
This is what we need in Palmdale! Too many idiots crossing wherever they want and pissed off if you tell them to use crosswalks.
True says
“Samuel” did you not read the article? If not go back and do so. These people crossing illegally are creating a hazard, not only for themselves but the people driving. All they have to do is walk their lazy butts to the crosswalks and cross where it’s safe. Do you not get that? Yeah, I am sure you don’t. I’ve seen people cross illegally then walk down to where the cross walk actually is, so what are they saving? Maybe the problem is that there are too many that live in the AV that don’t speak or read English and have no clue what a crosswalk is!
goldenhour says
You may not like the fines but something had to be done. Too many people being hit and some killed, then the family in an uproar over it. The money could be used to pay for the firemen, Paramedics etc… who have to respond to these accidents and don’t get paid for it. If one life can be saved, it is worth making you people mad about having to pay. The streets are not the same anymore, there is way too much traffic and going fast and faster. I too have seen people running across a dark street and barely seen until the last minute. The mentality is I have the right a way, yes you do, however, if you are not in a crosswalk, you may get hit…
AVfubar says
It’s all about having no respect for anyone else, and obviosly from the look of them, not themselves either. Lazy, unkempt school quitters who don’t care about anything but finding drugs, alcohol or causing mayhem. Detriments to actual law abiding Society.
AreJay says
When I first read this article I thought “doesn’t the Lancaster Sheriff’s Department have anything better to do”? After a couple of minutes of sitting on that thought, I then realized I was extremely happy that the LASD is taking these measures. I can’t count how many times, especially on Avenue I, that I’ve had to promptly slow down because someone was running across the street nowhere near a crosswalk. A few years back (my then girlfriend) came within a foot of hitting a young woman fighting with her boyfriend who literally walked out into the street without even looking (also nowhere near a crosswalk).
Tom says
I’d be happy if some of the people who do this would actually “run” across. It’s just wonderful when some of the people who do this, saunter across the street at a slow pace, all the while staring the driver down with a “f*@k you” look on their faces.
so true says
This is the truth in a nut shell. They don’t hurry at all. The few times I have had to cross a street I walk extremely fast and watch the light. In NY you don’t have this luxury, they will hit you if you don’t hurry. The young ones are the worst!
AVfubar says
Maybe these losers should be required to wear bullseyes and let’s make it a legal sport. I’m sick of the trash that has overtaken this valley.
genius says
What is so hard about walking your lazy ass to the damn crosswalk??? Thats what they’re meant for!!! Stop complaing!!!
Quigley says
Right on genius…
samuel says
… making a grab for our disposable income, the big jaywalker sting, here in the Southern California high desert! —
NIMBY says
It’s simple math Samuel. Don’t jaywalk and you won’t have to pay.
samuel says
… jaywalking, a US$250 fine, that’s going to net a cool US$20 thousand, into city coffers — asj.
AVfubar says
Right….like these jaywalking losers will ever pay the fine anyway. They’ll just get free room and board and 3 squares when they end up doing time in the hoosegow.
George says
Bout damn time! Know how many of them ive already almost ran over? Now you need someone to watch the Palmdale Freeway exit going North. No one seems to know what yield means. Uncles even been ran over there due to this not to mention ive almost been struck on SEVERAL occasions.
Wayne says
Maybe they should ticket the jaywalkers that cross 10th Street West South of Jackman St., especially those coming out of the Arbor Court Apartments who are crossing in “scooter chairs” or on foot across north and southbound traffic because they don’t want to go a quarter block to the crosswalk. There are also those who cross at the crosswalk regardless of what the signal says. There have been some really close calls and they do this during daylight and evening hours. I hope something can be done before someone gets hurt or becomes a traffic fatality……
WAKE UP says
Thank you, your comments are true. Jaywalking takes needless time from the Sheriff and Fire departments and costs citizens a great deal. Jaywalkers care nothing for others, they will and do get hit and some even die as the article stated. What about some real victims in these cases, the drivers the children they might have in their cars. Drivers who are driving legally. The trauma these jaywalkers cause, cars having to swerve causing divers and their passengers to be at risk. If one of these jaywalkers is hit, even though they chose to break the law, and did not care about any injury they might cause anyone else, there is a trauma to the driver and their passengers that is not spoken of enough. Jaywalking is not a minor crime it is a major crime that is 100% avoidable. If Jaywalkers would stop maybe there would be more resources for police and fire to take care of crimes that would help this city be safer for everyone. My prayers go out to the Sherriff and Fire Departments, and any driver and their passengers driving legally that were harmed by these jaywalkers. I have never seen a city where jaywalking was such burden for the authorities.
NIMBY says
WOW! Great job Lancaster Sheriff! ^^ high five^^ That’s about ten…TEN people per hour!!!
Concerned Teacher says
There are many jaywalkers on 60th Street west and L-8 by Quartz Hill HS. It is very difficult when large groups of students block traffic. It is dangerous for the pedestrians as well as drivers.
samuel says
… Americans no longer allowed to cross the streets, in our own neighborhoods —
Wow says
These took place on arterial streets, not neighborhood streets.
samuel says
… treating us like opened wallets, Americans need protection, from state, city and county government —
NIMBY says
American’s need protection from id iots who jaywalk. Too many of them putting drivers and themselves at risk for accidents. ^^high-five^^ to the Lancaster Sheriffs!
AVfubar says
No, Samuel…Jaywalking losers need to abide by the laws and rules of the road. Or become one with it. Simple.
CGB says
samuel,
Lazy Americans that are too lazy to walk 500ft are treating working Americans liked opened wallets. Just sitting back and collecting a check. Therefore, the state is paying these people and then taking it right back.
Shame on them for taking back some of the individual’s handout.
Not Enthused says
Maybe they can use the “Eye in the Sky” to target jaywalkers. The $1.1 million jaywalker catcher.