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Elderly man hit, killed crossing street in Lancaster

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The fatal collision occurred around 6:33 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, on 15th Street West, just south of Avenue J-8. (Photo by LUIS MEZA)
The fatal collision occurred around 6:33 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, on 15th Street West, just south of Avenue J-8. (Photo by LUIS MEZA)

LANCASTER – A 72-year-old man on a motorized mobility scooter was struck and killed by a car as he attempted to cross the street in Lancaster Tuesday evening, authorities.

William Morice Bell Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office. The collision occurred around 6:33 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, on 15th Street West, just south of Avenue J-8, according to Lancaster Community Relations deputy Miguel Ruiz.

William Morice Bell Jr. was not crossing in a crosswalk when he was struck. (LUIS MEZA)
William Morice Bell Jr. was not crossing in a crosswalk when he was struck. (LUIS MEZA)

“The victim was not crossing in a crosswalk and lived in a senior living apartment complex adjacent to the location of the accident,” Ruiz stated

Bell was traveling westbound across the street when he was struck by a Ford Focus that was heading southbound on 15th Street West, according to Ruiz.

“Traffic investigators responded to the scene to conduct the investigation. Preliminary information reveals that alcohol or drugs are not a factor at this time,” Ruiz stated.

The incident is still under investigation.

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Filed Under: Lancaster

56 comments for "Elderly man hit, killed crossing street in Lancaster"

  1. May his soul rest in peace with our Gd in Heaven. Sending love and prayers to the family. May your fond memories of him somehow ease the grieving.

    For all those commenting, since no one knows all the facts of this case, and you are NOT a judge NOR jury member, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM JUDGEMENT!

    For those of you who think the family is at fault, perhaps YOUR family is at fault for raising a repugnant POS.

  2. Ok so if he was 72 years old, on medication, and riding a scooter why didn’t he have someone taking care of him? If that is the reason it is ok to make an illegal crossing(jay walking) from what I see all parties involved are responsible. This includes the old mans family. This was an accident, I seriously doubt the driver went out just to hit him. It even says drugs and alcohol are not a factor.

    • Glad you are here to Judge. Also happy this didn’t happen to your Dad, why don’t you just stab me in heart. You are really a kind person.

    • It’s something that happens often in this area and there should be a crosswalk for the elderly. I don’t want it to happen to anyone else. Especially someone’s parent. I cannot keep my Dad on a chain and make sure he doesn’t leave his house, I did the very best I could to take care of him as best I could. You should not judge anyone until you have walked in their shoes, and be aware of everything when you drive.

  3. I’m sorry but I’ve almost hit kids because they were riding their bicycle and not paying attention the fact that they were going through an intersection with their side having a green light! The only reason I avoided hitting the kids is because I had a lane to swerve into! Sometimes you can’t avoid these things and nowhere does it say who’s fault! Yeah it’s a life and my condolences to the family but I highly doubt the person driving was like oh let me crash my brand new car into this motor scooter and spend the next 3-5 years in court proving my innocence.

    • What would be the purpose of information? Closure for the family? A law suit? I mean what would the information be used for?

      • All of you are insensitive, how can you be so harsh towards a person who is grieving the loss of their father, she’s asking for help from anyone who might have seen this awful accident because, in any event of a death, no Matter the circumstance, we all NEED to know how it happened. No need to give a reason to you. So shut you big fat mouth “Hilda” ya jerk ! And believe me I am avoiding cuss words I’d rather call you something worse

        • If you are grieving and come to a public forum trying to place blame on a driver of a car for hitting someone crossing the road in an Undesignated area, you are asking for it. It is tragic yes, but an accident is an accident, no driver can swerve, stop, and predict everything that happens to wonder in their path hence the fact they have crosswalks and signals and stop signs…. So if the victims kid comes on here trying to spread hate towards the driver of the car they can handle what is written back. If I was the driver of the car I would be pissed knowing I have to live knowing I killed someone and screwed up my new car because some old guy who didn’t even have to walk was to lazy to drive to a crosswalk or wait until there was no cars in sight before crossing. He probably saw the one car slow for them and went for it just expecting the rest of the lanes to stop…. Which makes it his mistake for entering the road without clearing it visually in all lanes.

          • The victim’s kid did not send any hate towards anyone, she asked if anyone saw what happened. I saw that you wrote that the victim was “too lazy” to use the crosswalk and the driver suffers because their car got messed up? You have too much nerve, take yourself down a notch. Ugly words.

    • Sbell- I’d like to first offer my condolences. I witnessed the whole accident, I was in the car next to the striking vehicle. I had seen your dad and immediately slowed down.

      • Congrats on slowing down, you could be the reason the man started to cross and not look for traffic before crossing, I have almost hit people because other car stops for a person illegally trying to cross and as I come down the other lane the person just walks out into traffic assuming all traffic will stop even though the person was blocked from my view because of the car that stopped for them in the first place.

  5. Its sad that the attention span out in Lancaster is very low. People really need to pay more attention on the road. I work in Personal Injury and I see so many cases that are due to lack of attention. I have a few cases in Lancaster that all are based on the driver not paying attention. I pray for the families involved.

    • This was a very unfortunate accident. I know the family of the driver. They are good, responsible, and loving people who have been devastated by this. The driver was not at fault. Everyone wants to place blame, but it wasn’t anyone’s fault. The driver was not speeding, not on a phone, not under the influence. It was purely and accident. A car in front of the driver swerved to miss the man on the scooter and the driver was unable to avoid hitting him. That area at night is not well lit, and there are always elderly people trying to cross outside of the crosswalk there to get to and from the apartments. Something should be done about that to avoid further incidents. Maybe we should all rally to make a change in that area.
      To the daughter of the man who was hit – my prayers go out to you and your family. Please know there was no malice intended by the driver. Two families have devastated by this accident. It’s very sad and unfortunate. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this, and I pray that everyone finds peace.

      • Nicely said “M”. Prayers go out to all parties involved. Driver was sober and Detectives have ruled it an accident.

  6. My 12 year old son was hit by a car on the corner of 15th St west and J8 coming home from Amoragosa School. He was in the cross walk. A car made a right hand turn on J8 hit my son and didn’t stop to see about my child. That call telling me my son was transported to the hospital because he got hit by a car was terrifying. Luckily he was ok, he did need stitches in his chin. I now take him to school …callous people will hit you and not stop if they think they could get away with it.

  7. Scooters cross here because of the ease of the Apt entrance, and the opening in the divider. But across the street, it is an open field, so there are no street lights. The posted speed limit is 45 MPH, making this illegal crossing very dangerous, especially after dark. Considering the number of seniors here, with all the shopping across the street, a push button crosswalk needs installed. Until then the “Del Taco shortcut” will remain lethal.

    • Actually the speed limit in this area is 40mph…..it doesn’t change to 45 until J-8……..I live in the Apartment building next to his….I agree that a push button crosswalk needs installed here.Very few people actually drive the speed limit here in the A.V. IMO most of the speed “limits” in residential areas need to be drastically reduced in this valley. Everyone in such a hurry to get to that next stoplight 15 or 30 seconds before the next guy!….its ridiculous. Slow down A.V! Next time it just might be someone you love and care about!…just sayin……

  8. The person who did this was not paying attention. May he/she be forgiven for the murder. This is not an “accident” an “oops” it was a life. People need to slow down and look around! I hope the license is pulled. This one needs to take the bus!

    • Kellie, you’re the idiot, how do you know they weren’t paying attention? Was it you or somebody you know? Why are you so harsh on your judgement of this person? Keep in mind too many people think they can make their own rules and do whatever they want and blame others when they get hurt or family members become sue happy when a family member passes away due to stupidity on their own part. If people lived by the rules of the road, a lot of accidents wouldn’t happen. The right of way has nothing to do with this, it was 6:30 p (dark) a person in a seated, lowered position (scooter) darting across the street where there are no signals…crosswalks… and to top it off a center divider. My prayers are with the victims family and the driver involved in this accident, he will have to live with this whether his fault or not, however, I am not the judge to pass judgement, nor was I there, I’ll wait for the sheriffs to disclose the facts first.

      • Your comments reflect your shallow insight. Karma is a bitch. Enjoy your name calling and sympathy for the driver. I am not judgmental. I tell it like it is. Driving is a privledge not a right. Before you get behind the wheel of a potential killing machine you need to have your focus in check. No excuses. Other cars were stopped for a REASON. Slow down and tread cautiously. The family who lost their father, grandfather, brother etc are who are need of support. So take your ignorance and name calling, get it in check and go do something nice for them.

    • Kelli I seen the whole incident as it happened, you have no right to judge a situation without seeing what I witnessed. The driver had no idea the man was crossing the street.

      • Finally Tony someone shed some light. Too many are on here with emotions and totally just blaming and innocent family.

    • WOW murder!? Yes a life was lost but how was this the fault of the driver who could not stop on time because the car in front of him with plain view of the victim swerved out of the way? Had he been “legally” crossing this could have been avoided but blaming him will not help anyone.

  9. He made it 72 years and then to just die like that how unfortunate.

    There does need to be accountability on both parts but honestly at this point who is at fault and who isn’t doesn’t even begin to encompass what happened.

    A man lost his life and that is awful. I am sure the driver is very remorseful and will live with this guilt for the rest of their life.

    Slow down and keep your eyes open driving is a huge responsibility to yourself and to everyone around you please don’t take it as lightly as many do.

  11. R>I>P bill .. my lil bro died by getting hit by a car walking on lancaster blvrd and 27th st west by movies 22.speedng and not paying attention to road is the reason he was kiled in 2008..she was doing 60 mph.SLOW DOWN PEOPLE.my prayers go out to the families.

  12. The AV is the scariest place to ride a bike or in this case a scooter. It is just not set up for bikes or non vehicle type traffic. Everyone drives way to fast and very few bike lanes.

  13. I just put a reverse camera in my car for this reason.

    Wheel chairs are supposed to have flags on a pole. Glow tape would help, LED lights, and a bike horn.

    • Saying prayers for you, thank God you tried, most people would have not bothered….I am so sorry to his family.. May he rest in peace…

  16. i heard the accident as well. yeah he wasnt crossing in a side walk but its more than obvious the person in the car was speeding & obviously not looking at the road! by the impact you can.tell it was a hard impact & man had to be hit hard enough to fly to where his body flew especially lets not forget to where even his chair flew. If person was going right speed limit then they wouldve braked just in time so it wouldnt be such a big impact second if eyes were on the road seen the mans wheel chair, we have street lights not hard to see. Those would be my questions as an investigator.

    • You would be surprised how much force is applied even at 25mph (Residential street speed.) This force would be enough to send this wheel chair into the spot you see.

      This is not saying speed is not a factor (it always is, slower speed means better stopping distance,) however, a person suddenly deciding to cross in front of a vehicle in an illegal way is also always dangerous.

      A car needs distance to stop, not providing ample distance creates accidents, or sadly in this case fatalities. Cross in well lighted marked cross walks, they exist for your safety (pedestrian and vehicular.) I see many people jaywalking throughout the Antelope Valley trying to safe a few seconds off a simple walk. Those “saved seconds” might kill you one day.

      • Yeah but if the person was going the exact speed limit then like you said youd have enough time but theres no justification.to not seeing the pedestrian, im sorry but thats no excuse whens theres lights. second a witness said the person in the car was flying, his body flew opposite way, way further from the chair. where the car is at isnt even where the guy was crossing, neitger where his chair flew. This is sad. I dont want to seem ignorant but if the av times is going to show something then they should show it all, from where the old man was hit to where his body flew to where the chair flew as well. Yeah the man shouldnt have crossed there, but if the person was going right speed limit & most likely with eyes on the road then they wouldve seen the pedestrian, Isnt the rule of the road Yield to pedestrians? Its a full lihted street, how would you not see a chair & the person? an explanation would be not haing your eyes on the road.

        • Steph depending where this person decided to cut across you do not always have time. If you cut in front of a car before its stopping distance at a given speed, no matter how hard the drive tries to stop it, its not going to happen.

        • Steph above a witness says that the car infront swerved to avoid the victim and obviously that in itself never gave the driver of this car a chance to see the man that was hit.

      • @Bob
        Good post and you are right. People do need to take personal responsibility for their actions. stay safe, stay alert, stay alive.

    • now Stephanie is a perfect driveer no tickets never picks up cell phone doesn’t turn her radio or nothing mistakes happen that’s what cross walks are for not saying its not tragic because it is but its 50 50 he or she was speeding he was j walking two wrongs don’t make a right…god bless both families cause u never know what emotions the driver has he/she took a life that will hit any human hard AF I bet they wishing they were in that chair

      • actually no i dont pick up my phone cause i wouldnt want a ticket & no i havent ever had a ticket within my. 6 years of driving, exactly like i said he was in the wrong too. i never said he had the right but the way the av times is making it seem is as if just the guy has fault.

    • There are no street lights on the West side of 15th W. between the shopping centers. As an investigator it’s best to actually look before making claims.

      • What is not being discussed, and maybe I know why, is the lack of accessibility of the public rights of way. The cross walk at the old Mervin’s is not accessible on the west side. There is no way for a person who uses a wheelchair to get on the sidewalk going north or south do to utility boxes and traffic light poles in the middle of the sidewalk. People who use wheelchairs do not put themselves in the street, in danger, unless there is not an option.