Despite the protests of relatives and friends of the victims, 21 year old Arcadian Jim Bates will face only misdemeanor charges for the freeway deaths of two people. Bates drove across three traffic lanes in an attempt to make the Baldwin Avenue offramp of the Foothill Freeway. The accident happened on April 16, 1982.
A woman pedestrian was critically injured in a hit and run and an Arcadia police officer suffered injuries in a second mishap, both in heavy traffic outside Santa Anita Park. The female victim also suffered the theft of her purse just minutes before the auto mishap.
James Bates of Arcadia was ordered to spend 6 months in county jail for the freeway deaths of Denise Wilson and David Hawkins. A two-year sentence was suspended. Bates is on five years probation and must abstain from use of alcoholic beverages. Though Bates had been drinking during the afternoon before, his blood alcohol level was only .03 after the 1 A.M. accident.
Residents in the Santa Anita Oaks area should receive some relief from the current traffic problems. Instead of barricading the streets as originally suggested, islands will be constructed to restrict some of the traffic.
Both the Board of Education and the City Council have denied $1.5 million in claims against them filed by Mr. & Mrs. Paul J. O'Brien, parents of Timothy Sean O'Brien who was struck and killed by an automobile as he was crossing Campus Drive last November 6th.
Controversial traffic barrier on San Carlos at Orange Grove Avenue apparently wasn't as useful in reducing speed on San Carlos as has been the installation of stop signs at the intersections of San Carlos with Oaklawn Place and Hacienda Drive.
Arcadia Police Department has received a grant of $142,286 to set up a trial traffic safety program. It is enough to purchase one extra car and pay the salaries of three policemen who have indicated an interest. The goal is to reduce personal injury and fatal traffic collisions by 3% each year.
A new computer, scheduled to begin operating by January 1, will store information about reported traffic accidents and citations. The computer will be used to analyze traffic problems in the city.
The Police Department's request for funds to provide traffic control for the Santa Anita racing season drew vigorous debate at city council meeting. The possibility of indexing (tieing the cost of traffic control to the amount the track pays the city) was considered.
City Council met with representatives of Santa Anita Park race track to discuss the possibility of raising the admissions tax. Council is concerned with the cost of traffic control. Benefits to the city from the track have increased 22.6% in the past two years and 43% the previous season.
Arcadia police issued 653 speeding tickets in June. In June of 1987, 134 tickets were issued. Other traffic violations and crime statistics are included in the article.
The family of David Taylor, an Arcadia High School student who was killed in a bicycle accident last year, has presented a claim of $500,000 to the Arcadia School District. The claim was denied by the school board and turned over to the district's insurance company.