LANCASTER – A 78-year-old female driver died Wednesday morning after a 20-year-old female driver made an unsafe left turn and both vehicles collided in a Lancaster intersection, authorities said.
The deceased was identified as Paula Sonya Sherry of Neenach, said coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter.
The fatal collision occurred around 6:55 a.m. Wednesday, April 18, on Avenue D (SR-138) east of 110th Street West, according to a California Highway Patrol report.
Sherry was driving a 2005 Lexus eastbound on SR-138, while 20-year-old Kaelin Miller of Rosamond was driving a 2014 Chevrolet westbound on SR-138, the CHP report states.
“[Miller] made an unsafe left turn onto 110th Street West, directly in front of [Sherry]. As a result, both vehicles collided as they entered the intersection,” the CHP report states.
Sherry was pronounced dead at the scene, and Miller sustained major injuries and was transported by ambulance to Antelope Valley Hospital.
Drugs and alcohol were not suspected factors in the collision, according to the CHP.
This traffic collision is still under investigation.
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Jessica says
Kaelin made an unsafe right turn not a left, she was turning in front on me.
Amy says
I give my condolences to the friends and family of Mrs. Sherry, I am truly sorry for your loss.
I am close friends to Kaelin and I am positive this is something she would have never wanted to ever happen. This is a horrible accident that never should have happened and I understand there is a lot of aching hearts but put yourself in Kaelins shoes. She didn’t wake up that morning thinking that was going to happen to her she was just trying to get to work and do what she’s passionate about. So please stop bad mouthing her.
Darling says
I’m glad she’s alive and well, but ‘bad mouthing’ her is the least of her problems. I’m sure she didn’t wake up and plan this but her mistake deserves more than people ‘bad mouthing’ her. It was reckless and caused someone’s life, I don’t encourage anyone to be in her shoes, ever.
A Grateful Colleague says
Rather than speculate, point fingers and argue (which is standard for this site) I’ll just leave some facts:
Mrs. Sherry was a good person.
She was a fixture in the teaching community of Antelope Valley, and made an impact in every classroom that she taught in. Kids, pre-teens, and teenagers are some of the most difficult people to communicate and understand, yet Mrs. Sherry made an effort with every child to be positive and kind, no matter the situation. She was very patient, compassionate, but at the same time, she wouldn’t take any bad-mouthing or disrespect from any child, and would always stand her ground. Sometimes kids would try to step all over her or be rude to her, but rather than ignore them or mutter obscenities under her breath, she would actually listen to their problem, be supportive and offer kind words. Mrs. Sherry was a total pro, and she ALWAYS had the classroom under control. The stories she would save for well-behaved classes were always interesting, calming, and even therapeutic.
I hope Mrs. Sherry finally finds peace, and I know she will be reunited with the late Mr. Sherry in paradise.
Thank you for being a great example for all educators in the Antelope Valley, Mrs. Sherry.
Yamilet B says
To the family and friends of Mrs. Sherry that are left behind mourning may you find comfort and strength. Soon we will be with our loved ones in a ‘new world’ as our Heavenly Father Jehovah promises in 2Pt 3:13.
138 Traveler says
Anyone that’s traveled down Ave D/Hwy 138 knows that there aren’t stop signs or traffic lights, which means you have the right of way the entire length of that road. There’s no possibility of driving into oncoming traffic on a 2-lane highway where the few intersecting roads traveling North and South have stop signs, and any driver turning left will always have to yield. I can’t see any possible way that Mrs. Sherry could be found at fault and to imply it was her fault is just ridiculous.
Isabel,lana says
Mrs. Sherry was a good teacher and she deserves justice and to rest in peace. We love u Mrs.sherry
Mom_of_2_millennials says
It’s nice how everyone attacks Dan, who obviously was there or knows someone who was as a way to attack “the millennial”. Nothing says age was a factor in the cause of the accident, so the fact the second driver was a millennial has nothing to do with anything and so what if he did know her. I hope you all feel stupid when it comes out that his information is actually correct and the information you are all defending is found to be false. How did this reporter get the information so quickly. The accident was less than 24 hours ago and with there being a fatality, it is very uncommon for any report, with names of the deceased especially, to be released so soon. I was shocked to read everyone against someone who clearly is somehow close to the incident and has more information on it than any of you, and, it would seem the reporter, and was upset by the publishing of false information. Is it so hard to see that perhaps the way he claims the accident happened may have been how it happened since the elderly driver was driving eastbound into the rising sun and easily could have been temporarily blinded. I have no inside information or any information other than what I have read here, but I do have something none of you seem to have and that’s an open mind. I don’t know anyone involved in the accident, nor do I know Dan. I do know that anyone who responded to Dan’s comment is an idiot to assume he is the one in the wrong for being upset incorrect information was published and none of you were smart enough to figure perhaps he was there and that is how he got his information. This reporter better hope their information is correct and that the millennial has not just been given grounds to sue for defamation of character, seeing as how her name was included in the article, and either way it wasn’t as though she did anything on purpose. That’s why they call them accidents. She has a long road of recovery I assume based on the major injuries reported in the article, and has to deal with the fact she was involved in an accident resulting in a fatality, whether she is found to be at fault or not, for the rest of her life. It is very sad there was a life lost and my condolences go to the family of the deceased.
Alex says
Information from a man named “Dan” is not reliable in any way. Most of the content in his statement is contradictory and insensitive as well.
Bobby says
The fact that you have a Gaul to think everything you read is correct is sad. Good luck in life with that philosophy
Dan says
The information in your article is incorrect. The crash occurred 30 feet east of the intersection, prior to any turn. The elderly woman’s car had already gone through the intersection and crossed into the path of oncoming traffic and hit the young womans car head on. Please look closer into the facts and update your article, because I don’t know where your information came from? I went to the sheriff dept and inquired about a preliminary report, and they had no information at all to give concerning the accident. Except to say that it would take at least 2 to 3 weeks to complete their investigation into the cause. So with that in mind, why would you base your reporting on such speculative information and nclude the victims names about an accident that the authorities don’t even have answers to yet? Who gave you authority to do that? Please, help me to understand why it was more important to be first, instead of being correct?
John Anonymous says
You bring up that there was no information from the Sheriff’s department, but then go and make a claim of your own? I’m sorry, I don’t understand. You say they should look closer into the facts but then go and don’t state where you obtained your “facts” from?
Liza says
Either way the young lady made a unsafe turn which took someone’s life for her stupidity of turning unsafe in front of a vehicle.
Sire says
If the sheriff dept had no information to give you, how do you know the elderly women had already gone through the intersection? How do you know she crossed into the path of oncoming traffic? How do you know she hit the young woman’s car head on? How do you know all of this Dan? Were you there? Are you the police? Don’t criticize other people for giving out “speculative” information. Youre doing the same thing.
Jip joe says
Would agree, nobody would go through such efforts unless they are directly involved with one of the parties. No doubt he knows the millenial.
Ponch says
Might want to check with the CHP area office about their statement since they did the report, not the SHERRIFS, Dan.
Alex says
Why does saying this make anything better? How and why do you expect everyone else that reads this to just swallow everything you say, for one thing. And for another thing, when you’re making a LEFT TURN on a YIELD LIGHT you need to YIELD to any oncoming traffic before making the turn. What you’re saying is that Mrs. Sherry should have stopped for someone that was supposed to have stopped for her, but instead tried to turn anyways and get hit. Please have the common decency to give an elderly woman her peace before attacking an article meant to give clarity to all those that knew her.
AV supporter says
It seems like you’re taking it to heart about this case but then again you’re probably the mother of the murderer who killed the innocent sweet elderly woman they need to hang your daughter for what she done
Kay says
You should be ashamed of yourself for spreading such misinformation! You say you went to the sheriff department to get the report, when it is actually the CHP investigating the case, so you are already discredited. Unless you were there, how do you even know where the vehicles crashed?? The vehicles could have very well crashed in the intersection and moved 30 feet from the point of impact as is most often the case. Plus the article clearly quoted a CHP report so that means the information is coming straight from CHP investigators not from the writer just speculating. You are obviously related to the young lady who caused this unfortunate catastrophe, and you should make that clear instead of trying to throw dirt on a poor elderly woman’s name. Shame on you!!!! RIP Mrs. Sherry.
who to believe says
@Dan
Where did you get the details of this collision? Were you there? You may want to check with the CHP instead of the LASD since 138 is in the jurisdiction of the CHP. You don’t want the public to believe the details the AV Times provided, but you want the public to believe you without any support to your version?