It happened around 12:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, on Avenue L at 40th Street West.
Shannon McDonald was driving a Suburban SUV west on Avenue L, while Robert Wells was driving a Dodge pickup truck east on Avenue L preparing for a left turn onto 40th Street West, according to a news release from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
“The signal light cycled to yellow, and [Wells] turned left into the path of [McDonald], who entered the intersection on the yellow light,” the news release states.
The two vehicles collided, causing the pickup truck to spin and the SUV to crash into a signal pole, according to the news release.
McDonald was transported to Antelope Valley Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Her three passengers, all minor children, were airlifted to Children’s Hospital L.A. The children sustained minor injuries and are in stable condition, sheriff’s officials said.
Wells, 36, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, causing death, according to the sheriff’s news release. He was booked into the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station jail at 5:50 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, and he is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to LASD inmate records.
Lancaster Sheriff’s Station Traffic Investigators are seeking witnesses to this collision. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lancaster Station at 661-948-8466.
UPDATE: Shannon McDonald, 43, was appointed to the city of Lancaster’s Architectural & Design Commission in 2017. McDonald was also a volunteer for the Lancaster School District and was employed with Children, Youth and Family Collaborative (CYFC), where she mentored foster youth, as well as high-risk youth within the community. Read more about McDonald here.
UPDATE: Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris released a statement to CBS2 on McDonald’s passing and what she meant to the Lancaster community. Parris said: “Shannon was a great community member who cared deeply about the success of our city. She continually engaged positively in our progress and success. She will be missed. We ask everyone to pray for her family in this time of need.”
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I see you says
Deport this POS drunk driver ! Send him back Send him and trump back !
Ron says
Deport him Where ? He was most likely born in America . [removed]
DARWIN says
F U C K You and Trump , Me La Pelan Los Dos !
Someone says
Blaming Trump for a car crash now? You must be mentally ill.
Anonymous says
Everyone lets get the facts correct. I was traveling a couple cars behind the suburban, the light was in fact solid GREEN. Only reason why I know it was solid green because after the suburban was another pick up truck and myself both traveling north and would of been able to make the light before it turned yellow. Not sure what the truck seen or did not see but he turned right into the suburban which was traveling at a safe speed. Many people along with myself quickly parked and came to the assistance of both parties. Helping the kids out of the car and directing traffic. It was a very scary and sad scene. It appears that the suburban had just left 7-11 because the kids had slurpees. I can only imaging what the kids and family are going through at this time. My prayers and condolence goes out to both parties.
Directional says
You were going north?
Ashley M says
Funny how they mention that the light was yellow to question her fault. Thank you for shedding facts to such a sad situation. Such a twisted article making it look like the DUI driver only hit her because she turned on a yellow light. I guess Wells is an upstanding citizen whose little DUI caused this poor family grief.
huh says
Ashley M: She didn’t turn on a yellow light, the dui driver did. Please people, read the article first.
HE BE GB says
It’s impossible that the DUI driver had a yellow and she had green. They were facing each other prior to his turn. He was headed East and turning left (North); she was headed West. I don’t remember if that intersection has a protected left turn signal, but if it does, then if his signal was green OR yellow, her signal would’ve been red. If she had a full green, he had a full unprotected green. If she had a yellow, he had a yellow.
huh says
Anonymous: You were going north?
Emile, be quiet says
If she just entered the light as it turned yellow, there is NO PROBLEM!!!! Your nobody’s friend “Emile”. Saying she was trying to beat the light. If she was going the speed limit and it turned yellow as she entered as the story states, she is not at fault. The truck had to yield to traffic , not her. Don’t make this a cautionary tale, she was perfectly within her right to go through. It was NOT red. What the HELL “Emile”? This IS the whit trucks fault!
Random Stranger says
If both cars enter on a yellow, the car going straight has right of way, the other can turn when clear, the side traffic has to wait until the last vehicle clears the intersection to utilize their green light. Vehicles need to have all wheels past the limit line before the red, to legally occupy the intersection. (source: California Vehicle Code)
Emile says
As many of you know, my friend Shannon McDonald passed away yesterday due to a collision with a suspected DUI driver. I want to take a minute and explain that YES 100% driving impared on any substance is wrong and could easily end lives and shatter world apart. And it did yesterday. It’s horrible, selfish, and painful for everyone their light touched. We probably ALL agree on that. Now, here’s the part we might not agree on and it’s okay if you don’t. I spent the night crying over what happened and initially I was so pissed off that someone intoxicated took my friends life and hurt her children in a way they may never recover from. Then I saw the pictures and read witness statements and news feeds. I talked with my husband, who is a Sheriff, & his friend and we were able to put the pieces together that BOTH drivers were trying to beat the yellow light. It doesn’t excuse the drinking and he might’ve had better judgement if he was not intoxicated, (you all should also be aware that he might not have been intoxicated and might’ve had 1 beer at lunch and they could smell it on his breath.. we just don’t know YET). But he thought he had time to turn and she thought she was safe going straight. This happens all the time here whether alcohol is involved or not and I’ve seen it first hand in that intersection, 25th W. & K, 30th W. & J8, etc. I live close to that corner and many other corners that are high collision areas. I recently came home from a trip to Seattle and their yellow lights are so short, people hit their brakes, not the gas. Here, I see people in such a hurry that they’ll push the gas to beat the light. It’s so EASY to point the blame at the man in the white truck. It’s easy because when a life is taken it’s only natural to point fingers and find the blame in it. It’s comforting to know that somebody will be accountable. But if you put that detail aside for just a minute, you will see that this accident happens multiple times a day in many different intersections and you might think twice before pushing the gas on a yellow light today or in the future. Reading this might save your life some day and if it upsets someone in the process, I’m okay with that because my friend’s life has purpose. She had a purpose before she died and maybe her story will stick in someone’s head and save families in the future trying to get through that yellow light. SLOW DOWN and stop seeing that yellow light as permission to floor it. And if you’re the one turning, make sure you don’t have a car in oncoming traffic. I love Shannon and I will miss her. I know her children and THEY will miss her. This accident did not have to happen. I didn’t write this, but very well said.
Christy says
40th West & Ave L needs turn signals.
People need to slow down!
Did Shannon have the right of way?
Perhaps but placing your life on “right of way” is a gamble, she lost. Luckily her 3 children only suffered minor physical injuries but they will suffer with the tragic loss of their mother for a lifetime.
Everyone loses in this situation.
Rylee says
Maybe if alcohol was not a factor we would be having a different discussion.
I’m going to play devil’s advocate.
As a mother with precious cargo PLEASE think twice about beating a light!
It’s not worth it! She was going way too fast!! SLOW DOWN! DON’T DRINK & DRIVE! SAVE LIVES!!
RUFUS PARKER says
THIS DRUNK CRIMINAL WAS A TRUMP VOTER ACCORDING TO PUBLIC RECORDS SO SICK AND TIRED OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS COMMITING CRIMES
America says
Your name should be DOOFUS for a comment like that.
Trumpist#1 says
LMFAO. You’re kidding, right? If not, that has to be the dumbest comment since William’s last one and you’re Rufus the Doofus, LOL.
William says
So, Trumpist#1. Reread your 2 rants from yesterday. You didn’t address the topics I wrote about but just went off like Trump does when he tweets. Were you on the can too when you wrote? I could hear the straining in your posts.
In fact, you are doing Putin’s work for him right here on the AVTimes. How do we tell the difference between your rants and those of Russian bots who flood the social media with stuff like you do? Ask Steve Knight how well all the Trumpsters’ rotten comments and letters to the paper helped him in this conservative district. Their insanity won him second place
So, there ya go, Trumpist#1. Now rant away like you do so well. I love, just love, seeing you lose it and typing your comments before you think. You really don’t think before you type do you? It’s obvious to us like a full moon on a clear night.
Trump 2020 to life.
William says
Hey, Trumpist#
Trump went on about mental illness regarding the 2 recent shootings. Judging by your nutty, short-tempered replies to me that are off the rails, SHOULD YOU BE ALLOWED TO OWN A GUN.
Come on, guy. You lose it really quick. Hair trigger is a phrase that comes to mind.. Gun owners should be clear-headed and not so quick to anger like yourself. It makes for a safer country.
So, when are you going to have a mental evaluation if you are such a good NRA member/gun owner? It’s time. Guns are your life and you might as well be safe and sane about your mental state. Then you won’t sound like such a loose cannon here on the AVTimes.
DARWIN says
F U C K You and Trump , Me La Pelan Los Dos !
Gowchong says
Another Doofus with the TDS.
Someone says
So you’re telling me that his political ideology made him get behind the wheel intoxicated? Oh my. I didnt realize those two things were connected. Please post your scientific analysis on the correlation between the two. Others you just seem extremely stupid.
Yellow Light says
Another drunk driving tragedy…