LANCASTER – A pedestrian was struck and killed by a car while crossing the street in Lancaster Thursday night, authorities said.
The incident happened around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, on Avenue J west of 20th Street West, according to Detective Michael Politano of the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
“Preliminary information gathered at the scene revealed the driver of a 2013 Chevy Cruze was traveling westbound on Avenue J at an unknown speed from the intersection of 20th Street West,” Politano stated. “An adult male pedestrian was crossing Avenue J northbound, outside of a crosswalk, and was struck by the vehicle.”
The pedestrian was fatally injured at the scene.
“The driver did not appear to be under the influence and was not arrested,” Politano stated. “The pedestrian’s sobriety is still under investigation.”
The pedestrian’s identity has not yet been released pending next of kin notification.
–
UPDATE: The deceased pedestrian has been identified as 34-year-old Justin Shane Morales, according to Assistant Chief Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
Linzybinzy says
This message is for Carly Kari and all of us that treasured Justin and the memories as roommates and friends over the many many years…..so many great memories! My deepest condolences for this huge loss! Justin was such a fun guy with one of the strongest personalities and biggest hearts! It’s so weird to hear that he passed as I look through tons of pictures and reminisce it seems like yesterday:( He was definitely burdened by a very tragic disease that he never could seem to shake despite his strength and regardless of the precious things in his life it cost him!!!!:( RIP my friend xoxo
Carly says
Thank you to everyone posting love and support. For those that are criticizing j walking, criticizing the victim, my fiancé, he would also be the first to point out his anger in j walking. He would be upset every time there was a pedestrian accident in town. That’s how I know that he was very very sick when he crossed that street, he had no idea what he was doing. This tragedy has rattled me to the core and I honestly don’t know how I will carry on without him. Just please let this be a lesson to not assume you know the circumstances of a situation the second you hear about it.
TROY says
the bad thing here is, everyone that can’t use their name but think they have the right to put someone down for the problems in their life.. pointing their fingers at some one j-walking. it was a life that got taken to soon. one day it could be your family member that j-walked and this happens to them. the driver of the car i feel bad for… Justin R.I.P, i feel bad for his family.. no one should have to go through this but you people that get on here and run your mouth and want to act like you are the law and talk crap and put them down because of what they did in there life… you can go to (****) if you did not know them don’t talk about them…..
like i said it could of been your family member or friend that this happen to… remember that before post and “talking crap”
RIP JUSTIN
BILL says
As Justin’s last and final boss I had the pleasure of having him work for me, this is a complete shock to everyone that has worked with him and got to no justin.
We have missed justin at work as well as customers that justin has done work for, I can say that as Justin worked for me and his performance was excellent, it wasn’t long ago that we had just purchased a new piece of equipment for him, do to the fact he was very respectful to all our company equipment and could guarantee that when he rolled around the corner in his tractor trailer it appeared to have just rolled off the showroom floor.
Justin will be greatly missed by his former co workers as well as many friends and family, I never dreamed that I would be writing this about Justin.
Rest in piece Justin from all your family at G.E.T.
Bjtj says
Very Well said Driver. Such a tragic loss of a very good hard working man. Sorry for the loss of your friend and Co-worker. May he R.I.P.
magnetlady says
Carly, I can sympathize with your feelings of loss., My friend was also possessed by these demons.. I knew him when he was really ”down & out”…He was my ”roommate” for a few months & abided by my house rules, ”No Drinking”.. He was sober for 2-3 yrs, but went back to his Drinking PLUS Drugs!! .. He eventually died on Pearblossom Hwy, in Pearblossom…. DRUNK and was running across the road, but got hit by a ”truck” late one evening… Somehow, Alcoholics never get away from their Demons.. Your Fiance & My friend ARE finally at PEACE …. ”RIP” to your fiance, prayers for you in your time of sorrow!
DEBBIE says
I am very sorry for your loss. I new Justin for a short time, he was a nice guy with a very bad problem. He didn’t deserve to die. I’m sure it was not the drivers fault and I feel sorry for the also. RIP Justin
Carly says
I have not read most of the comments to this article as it would be to difficult for me considering the pedestrian was my fiancé. He was a very sick alcoholic and would NEVER had been in the street in a sober state of mind. I love him deeply and I am devastated he is gone. I just urge people to not rush to judgements, you never know someone’s story until you really know them. I feel for the driver, he probably feels terrible. Justin was incredibly sick and in a strange way I take a small amount of comfort knowing that he was killed instantly and is no longer in pain and suffering. I wish that we could have helped him overcome this disease, but in the end I guess everything we had wasn’t enough….
Sorry says
Im so sorry for your loss. I’m also sorry there’s so many inconsiderate people that rush to judgement and assume they know what happened. Everyone’s story is different but everyone’s love for man kind should be unwavering. I’m glad you understand his disease. I wish you peace and comfort during your grief. God bless RIP Justin
Heather says
Carly, you are in our thoughts and prayers. I know yesterday was Justin’s birthday and probably a hard day for you. Please call Troy if you need any help with anything. We are here for you just as we tried to be there for Justin.
patricia says
im very sorry for your loss….. I was the one who dialled 911 i saw the whole thing….very sorry for loss
Carly says
Patricia, can we speak privately?carlyd87@rocketmail.com
Giordan says
I was there when they were performing CPR on the man. Police were coming when i passed by, and a man was telling me to drive to the right. It was pretty scary seeing it. But for some reason, from what i saw, the man was naked.
Sophia says
Do we have more than average amount of pedestrian fatalities in our city or do we just hear about them all cause we are a small town? Is the AV full of unsafe crossers, too high speed limits or is this a normal part of life in big cities and we just happen to report them all? If somebody doesn’t have the research already done im gonna take it on and do it cause these are people’s lives at stake.
Hmmm says
I think its the fact a lot of people J Walk in the AV. People have no regards to traffic in this town.
Sophia says
I found a website with yearly statistics and comparisons and we are about average. We just get more coverage of the events because we live in a smaller city than someplace like la. That’s good to know, but we can do better!!!! We need a public awareness campaign about not wearing black at night, using marked crosswalks, more crosswalks in busy foot traffic areas like j between Sierra and tenth (nobody gets hit on lancaster blvd because it was planned to be safe for cars and people, we can slow down traffic in high fatality areas like ave j) where are my city planners? Comment and tell us how to get involved! Every life matters!!!!! And police need to crackdown on jaywalking and stop letting it happen. People might not stop jwalking to save their life but you know they will to save some dollars if a ticket becomes a sure thing. Cops can get militant on it for awhile, nobody wants to be the driver that hits somebody, they can heavily monitor just those high fatality zones like ave j
Andrew says
I knew this man, Justin, as he was formerly engaged to my step-daughter. She is obviously distraught and we are all saddened by his unexpected passing. I know that he accepted God into his heart about a year ago. He had a good heart and wanted to work hard to support his family. Thank you for your consideration and prayers for strength – your prayers are greatly appreciated.
Dee Dee says
What is sad is someone gave his life to try to cross the street. At least the driver stopped. Doesn’t that make number 3 in the last month to lose their life crossing the street? It’s a shame.
Mars says
Maybe drivers should understand pedestrians have the right of way!?! Also Be aware of speed limits and follow all rules. Which includes to watch out for people. Or others crossing the streets..even if there not following the rules.. this helps avoid accidents . .Duh.
Ehhh... No. says
Actually, pedestrians legally have the right of way in crosswalks, not in the middle of the street. This is why jaywalking is illegal and the driver was not cited or arrested. Pedestrians have a responsibility to use due care for his or her safety, which includes not impeding traffic in between properly delineated intersections with crosswalks.
Duh.
Jazz says
@Mars: if pedestrians have the right of way then Why do pedestrians receive “j- walking” tickets? Because they walked outside of a cross walking designated area and I wish the cops cited more people for “j-walking.”
Danny says
To an extent your right but not in the case if their is no designated area to cross or if you cross in the middle of posted areas within reason. Also I never realy have never seen a cross walk in a neiborhood, wonder what happens if I need to cross and get my mail……
Duh
Just Saying says
If there is no painted center line in the street, it is considered residential and pedestrians can legally cross if it is safe. However, if you step into that residential street with approaching traffic, and cause a car to have to take corrective action, it’s jaywalking. If an officer observes you do that, you will be cited. Crossing legally does not always mean you have the right of way.
Mars...your an [removed] says
Mars,
Not only are you wrong…your an idiot!!! Gee, I’m walking, so I can just cross wherever I want, after all, I have the “right of way”, right? WRONG!!!
Its the idiots like you that cause the majority of the accidents in AV, just like the idiots who turn left in front of you, even though on coming has the true right of way!
I’m beyond sick and tired of people like you, you sound like a future Darwin Award winner!!!
j says
Thats what happends when ppl dont use the cross walks… i bet you if ppl start using cross walks there will be less ….not the cars fault.. cross walks ppl…
Rankin says
Good to see the call for law enforcement to enforce jaywalking law. Hopefully they will as well as enforce speed limit laws..the A V Press should do an investigative series on how well these laws are enforced…..
Hmm says
I am pretty sure speed was not a factor in this issue.
Mark says
Let’s not get all excited. Most likely this victim was a homeless person headed back to his place in the drainage culvert, or the camp behind pep boys. These derelicts are the scourge of Lancaster, the home of “if you feed them, they will come”. More likely the true victim is the innocent taxpayer, following the rules of the road until the stone drunk person made a beeline for his tent without a care in the world. Now they have to live with all the inconvenience and guilt this brings. Expect this to continue regularly….. now amount of oh-my gosh! or jay walking tickets will change this.
John says
Thank you for your comment Mark. It sounds like you have the perfect life. Congratulations! I’m sure you never had to deal with a childhood with alcoholic parents. Or blaming yourself for the death of a very close friend.
Instead of being insensitive to Justin’s death, you should know that he was a good man and a good friend. He had a family that loved him. He had a girlfriend that loved him and misses him. He was as normal as you and I. Some people are broken. This was indeed the case with Justin.
So next time you want to condem someone that you know nothing about their history….. Pray for them instead.
Teresa S. says
Don’t be so hateful. He may not have had a perfect life or been a perfect person. We all have our own problems and none of us deserve to die like this and have people like you making comments like this! He may not have been your relative, but he was someone’s son, brother or uncle. Have some respect! This man was my brother and today would have been his 35th birthday. RIP Justin.
Giordan says
I think you are completely right. I was surprisingly there when it happened, and the man just had a cloth over his genitals, nothing else…
Greg says
As a kid being raised in Los Angeles I remember seeing signs that advertised laws. They were on benches, sides of buildings, and other normal ad spaces. Many of them dealt with common pedestrian and traffic laws. Now we see ads for corporate profits, everywhere. We even pay a premium to buy throw away goods (low quality) with brands and logos plastered all over them.
I know I am dreaming but it would be nice if the major brands lowered the cost of good since they are making us walking billboards for their profit, and also gave more profits to social/legal education so their patrons stay out of trouble and can purchase more of their junk.
E says
ive come so close to hitting people jaywalking at night. These people assume you’ll see them and stop the only problem is they are usually wearing dark clothing so they’re hard to see at night. We need to enforce jay walking laws.
Bob says
WARNING: LIVING IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR, “LIFE”!
TK says
Seriously? You don’t have a television? Try watching the news once in a while. These types of jay-walking hit and runs are happening all over California, not just in the Antelope Valley. Move if you don’t like it here.
Take the AV Back!! says
Just the other night, traveling eastbound on Avenue K (just east of Challenger Way), 2 teenagers, dressed in dark clothing started running across the street – right in front of me. Just in case they weren’t necessarily paying attention, I honked my horn to let them know “Hey….there’s a car coming!!” In return, they threw their hands up to flash gang signs, flip me off and yell at me. Their attitude was almost like daring someone to hit them.
jacque says
i have had a few friends in this valley get hit and killed in the cross walks not the cross walks at the intersection i am talking about the cross walks around the area where there are no traffic signals guy in the first lane stops and guy behind him is in a hurry and goes around him and hits person in cross walk .this has to also stop people need to quit jaywalking and drivers need to pay attention so many careless drivers in Lancaster alone
Cynthia says
We need better lighting in the main streets aswell. With our speed limit being fast like it is.
Kristin W says
Get petitions signed if you want change. We needed better sidewalks around the school, so one neighbor got the petitions and recruited others to help gather 3,00 signatures. Within two years we have a reduced speed limits, speed humps, and sidewalks. That combined with people obeying the laws (drivers and pedestrians) will help prevent further loss of life.
Nancy P says
That area doesn’t seem very dark. Lots of stores and parking lots with lights on all night.
Greg says
I wonder if the lighting was part of the problem. I notice with some windshields the lights cause a glare at night and it is difficult to see in the first 30 or so yards in front of the car. Get out on a dark patch of roadway with no lights and I can see just fine, without brights.
Greg says
This article on Mashable talks about some of the effects of night lighting.
http://mashable.com/2015/02/21/light-pollution/
Dust says
Liberal bent: “People jay-walk, that is a fact. So we should lower the speed limit.”
Conservative bent: “People jay-walk, that is a fact. So we should have more police ticketing people who do it.”
Uncle Tom says
Intelligent bent: Its far easier to see and hear a car on the road and avoid it as a pedestrian, than it is to see and hear a pedestrian who decides to walk out onto a road in front of a car.
When its vehicle vs pedestrian, the vehicle wins every time. If you are going to play frogger, you accept the possible consequences. I don’t care if I am at a crosswalk, or even walking along the sidewalk next to a road, Im looking at vehicles to make sure they are stopping and its safe to keep going. You need to keep your eyes open and ears listening.
Dayzzee says
YESSSSSSSS! Exactly!
Hmmm says
And if you can make eye contact with a car stopped at a corner making a right hand turn, this way you both know you have been seen.
rooney says
May this man rest in peace. May God bless his family and give them strength.
On people, they should always use a crosswalk or an intersection. They should also wear something that is light colored or reflective. I’ve seen bike riders at night with no reflective clothing, all in black.
Crosswalks should have lighting, whether above or reflective paint.
Drivers need to slow down out of common sense because out cities don’t care to lower the speed limits. We need to care about each other.
Just Saying says
45 MPH is a reasonable speed for a 6 lane highway with a 2 way left turn lane. It already takes 20-25 minutes to crosstown, that’s what the big streets are for. The bulk of pedestrian accidents are everywhere but a crosswalk, (where cars actually expect there may be pedestrians.
dani says
I feel really bad for the person that was killed and their family but I’ve got to say…… a lot of people are constantly Jay walking out here. I’ve almost hit someone so many times. I think that they assume you can see them all the time. Plus they take their time about walking across and expect us to slow down. It’s gotten really bad!
Jane Doe says
would come to think people would learn after the 3 others who were struck by a moving vehicle, there’s traffic lights for a reason. At night not everyone is visible.
Linda W. says
If people would wear white clothing it would help SO much! I have had multiple occasions where people step out or run across the road while wearing ALL BLACK at night…it’s insane!
Angie says
people wouldn’t be getting hurt or killed if they would just use a damn crosswalk… I so sick of people thinking they don’t have to use one….
heidi says
Right?! Or you would think they would see a car and not cross at that time. People think just because pedestrians have the right away they can do as they please.
annon says
some people cross the road slowly. and mad dog you when you honk at them. Or walk in a funny line slowly, and look at you like why you driving in their cross walk. It become worse especially there. nobody uses the crosswalk. its not safe if i have to suddenly stop because some idiot can’t use the crosswalk five feet away from him, and decides to walk into on comming traffic, i could get hit by another car or if it goes around me, they’ll the j walker.
Mistielynn says
Wayyy to many people up here in the AV that J-walk!!! When are the police/sheriff gonna start cracking down on that sh*t?!!! I have seen a bunch of jr high & high school students doing it a lot more & they purposely go extra slow while looking at the vehicles approaching being cocky lil’ smart a*ses…It’s getting ridiculous already! START HANDING OUT CITATIONS DAMN IT!!!!!
Also… another major issue (which contributes to situations/accidents such as this, and more) is SPEEDING!!! Wayyy to many people up here are driving wayyy over the damn speed limits! I had pulled out from the new Starbucks driving on Rancho Vista just got up 61 mph in the 65mph zone and this lil’ compact white car came blaring by me going at least 100mph (I flashed my damn lights at him), it was around 8:45 at night. TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE & COMPLETELY F#*KIN’ RIDICULOUS!!!
THE AUTHORITIES NEED TO START CRACKIN’ DOWN HARD ON THESE ISSUES!!! :-/
lancaster says
i was driving on lancaster blvd and valley central way and i had to stop for a guy jay walking and he had one leg and crutches.. wtf? it’s ridiculous. smh
Dave says
Seems like I’m also having to stop or slow way down so I don’t run over someone jay walking on ave J and then I get a dirty looks ! Really there the ones jay walking!
Nancy P says
You stop or slow down for the j walker, and their “friend” runs up on the passenger side of your car and tries to open it!
Duh says
Lock your doors
m says
The amount of people j-walking in the AV is microscopic compared to most other places… get real.
Dimitri says
have to lower speed limit. . we have too many people walking in the streets ESPECIALLY children. . it’s not safe anymore to go that fast . . my opinion and hopefully future fact
Bob says
Maybe parents need to start disciplining their little brats to teach them not to do dangerous things such as jaywalk. Punishing those following the rules is not going to get stop those that break the rules.
Dayzzee says
The adults jaywalk too! Pillars of society and excellent role models.
bill says
AGREED. Cops need to be giving tickets for those scumbags jaywalking!
Kevin says
YES. Like 100%. These people need to realize that j walking isn’t cool. I’ve seen a couple of high schoolers doing it on East Ave K between 15th and 30th. They tried acting all snotty by giving me dirty ass looks when I didn’t stop for them. People need to learn to use cross walks and when the appropriate time is to cross the road. Not whenever people please to cross the road.
Cinda says
Yes, and while we are at it, we should force stove makers to lower the heat that the stove puts out so that people who get burned by sticking their hands on hot burners can be safe. Oh, wait, or we could punish the dumb ass people who think the world revolves around them, making it okay for them to stop everything so that they can cross the street wherever the hell the want. J-walking is illegal, driving in the proper lane down the street at a safe speed is not. The speed limit is not dangerously high, as long as idiots don’t jump in front of cars. Besides, a j-walking pedestrian can still be hurt pretty darn bad, if not killed, by a car going 30 miles an hour. How low should we make the speed limit really? 15mph?