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Los Angeles, Ca

California’s deadliest road is likely one you drive on every day 

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California’s deadliest road is likely one you drive on every day 

A recently released study revealed that deaths from car crashes rose considerably across California between 2018 and 2022, and data indicates that many of the deadly collisions occurred on SoCal roadways. 

According to a report by ConsumerAffairs, there was a 17% increase in car crash deaths between 2018 and 2022 despite the Golden State’s population declining during that same period.  

“During the pandemic, we saw more of those dangerous driving behaviors,” California Office of Traffic Safety deputy director of marketing and public affairs Timothy Weisberg told ConsumerAffairs. “It’s a crisis that needs to be reversed.” 

Much of that can be attributed to California roads being less congested during the pandemic which caused some motorists to drive faster, traffic safety experts noted, adding that DUI crashes also made up for at least a quarter of deaths on Golden State roadways in both 2018 and 2022.

“Drinking while driving and speeding are much more prevalent in some California counties than others…on average, by county, speeding and drinking were involved in around 28 and 25 percent of fatalities, respectively, between 2018 and 2022,” ConsumerAffairs researchers stated. “Speeding is a much more common factor in fatal crashes in California’s more rural, less populated counties.”

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  • A California Highway Patrol motorcycle is seen down on the 15 Freeway on June 27, 2023. (KTLA)
  • Authorities investigate after a crash kills a Los Angeles Fire Department recruit on the 101 Freeway in Studio City on April 15, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Triple fatal crash on 5 Freeway in Norwalk

Overall, the deadliest road in all of California is the 5 Freeway with 128 deaths in 2022, which is down from the 150 deaths reported in 2018, researchers found. 

When broken down by county, San Bernardino County ranked as the deadliest for drivers, registering nearly 20 fatalities per 100,000 people in 2022. 

This aligns with ConsumerAffairs’ conclusion on the deadliest stretch of roadway in the state: I-15 through San Bernardino County, where an astonishing 48 people died in 2022, an increase of 15 compared to 2018. 

Of the ten deadliest roads in the Golden State, six are located in SoCal. They can be viewed in the table below: 

Rank Roadway County Deaths (2018) Deaths (2022)
1. Interstate 15 San Bernardino 33 45
2. Interstate 10 Riverside 25 31
3. Interstate 5 San Diego 19 21
4. Interstate 5 Orange 14 16
5. U.S. Route 101 Santa Barbara 7 15
6. Interstate 880 Alameda 11 14
7. State Route 4 Contra Costa 9 14
8. Interstate 10 Los Angeles 21 14
9. State Route 178/State Route 99 (tie) Kern 7 13
10. U.S. Route 101 Santa Clara 13 12
Source: ConsumerAffairs, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Freeways in bold are located in Southern California

KTLA 5’s Annie Rose Ramos interviewed several drivers on Tuesday morning; one woman told her that there’s only one thing you can do when you see a speeding driver.

“There are crazy people out there that may be busy or in a hurry and they’re going fast,” the woman, only identified as Lisa, told Ramos. “Get out of the way…that’s the only thing you can do.”

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In an attempt to bring an end to the deadly trend, the California Office of Traffic Safety has teamed up with Caltrans to launch the Go Safely California education program, which promotes a “safety culture” on Golden State roadways. 

Safety tips for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists can be found here.  

The full ConsumerAffairs report, which includes more data on factors such as impairment and when crashes occur on an hourly, daily and monthly basis, can be read here.

Los Angeles, Ca

LADWP begins long-term repairs after West Hollywood water main rupture

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LADWP begins long-term repairs after West Hollywood water main rupture

Crews worked overnight on what is expected to be a long-term effort to clean up and repair a broken water main that caused extensive damage in West Hollywood on Thursday.

Yellow tape remained in place Friday morning, blocking streets around Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive as crews continued pumping water out of the century-old trunk line.

Asphalt and soil were also being removed so crews could get a better look at the damaged 36-inch trunk line, a major feeder pipe serving the area.

  • Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood.
  • A sinkhole opened up on a sidewalk in West Hollywood following a water main break
  • Aerial view of flooded Metro buses.
  • Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood.
  • Water floods out of an apartment in West Hollywood
  • A broken water main floods a parking garage in West Hollywood
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Residents stand with luggage and a dog at the entrance to an apartment parking garage as floodwaters from a water main break rush through a West Hollywood street.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • A broken water main floods the streets of West Hollywood

“First and foremost is our crews’ safety,” a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power spokesperson said Thursday. “When we excavate, we are going to have to make sure the area is safe before we send crews in to proceed and start the actual repairs on the pipe.”

The water main ruptured around 3 a.m. Thursday, sending thousands of gallons of water rushing through West Hollywood streets, flooding dozens of garages and pushing parked cars into one another.

A Metro bus yard was also flooded, leaving several buses partially submerged.

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The force of the water washed away dirt and gravel supporting the roadway, creating a massive sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard and a smaller one near Palm Avenue, where two people fell in.

“I’m astounded by the massive sinkhole that has just opened up before our eyes,” KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos reported Thursday from Palm Avenue.

The two men appeared to be uninjured.

As for the larger trunk line that burst beneath Sunset Boulevard, KTLA’s Carlos Herrera reported it was scheduled for replacement in 2031.

LADWP officials now hope to establish a repair timeline after getting a closer look at the damage Friday. For now, the intersection is expected to remain closed for anywhere from several days to several weeks.

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The cause of the rupture remains under investigation.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Arrest made in deadly shooting at 4th of July gathering in Compton; search for 2nd suspect continues

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Arrest made in deadly shooting at 4th of July gathering in Compton; search for 2nd suspect continues

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna gave an update Thursday on several shootings over the Fourth of July weekend that left three people dead and several others injured.

Police arrested Antoine Jones, a 50-year-old man from the Los Angeles area, who they believe is responsible for the murder of a 19-year-old woman and the attempted murder of two additional surviving female victims who were attending a large community block party in Compton.

On July 4 at approximately 11:40 p.m., deputies from the Compton station responded to an apartment complex on the 700 block of West Laurel Street following reports of multiple people being shot.

Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, a 19-year-old nursing student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was killed when gunfire broke out at the party.

Meah Bordenave-Jenkins and Eric Washington are pictured in a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department bulletin. (LASD)

Deputies located Bordenave-Jenkins and the two other women suffering from gunshot wounds outside of the apartment complex.

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“While today’s announcement represents an important step towards justice for Meah and her family, our work is very far from being over,” said LASD Sheriff Robert Luna.

The LASD is also seeking the public’s help in identifying those responsible for the murder of Eric Washington, 37, a beloved community activist and former government staffer, and the attempted murder of another surviving man injured that same night at the same party.

Washington was reportedly killed while trying to deescalate a conflict at the party, his family said. Deputies found victim Washington suffering from a gunshot wound inside the complex.

Investigators later learned that another man had also been shot at some point during the incident.

Bordenave-Jenkins and Washington both died from their injuries. The remaining victims, two women and a man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and have been released from the hospital. They have not been identified by police.

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Detectives determined the two shootings happened moments apart at the party but appear to be separate and unrelated.

  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration

Detectives identified Jones as the suspect responsible for Bordenave-Jenkins’ death and the attempted murder of the two surviving women. Authorities located Jones on July 14 in Los Angeles and took him into custody.

The LASD is still searching for the suspect or suspects responsible for the murder of Washington and the attempted murder of the surviving male victim.

“Although today’s arrest is significant, this investigation remains extremely active,” Luna said.

“There were hundreds of people at this gathering,” Luna said. “Somebody knows, somebody saw or somebody heard what happened.”

The LASD also announced they’re searching for a suspect in a separate shooting at a different Fourth of July gathering that occurred in the early morning of July 5.

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At approximately 12:10 a.m., Compton deputies responded to the 2100 block of North Grandee Avenue, where they located a 30-year-old victim, Thaddeus Clark, and a second victim suffering from gunshot wounds at the gathering.

Clark, a father of three, did not survive his injuries, Luna said.

The LASD is urging anyone with information about Clark’s murder and the attempted murder of the surviving victim to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau.

Although these shooting incidents occurred at gatherings less than an hour apart, investigators found no evidence that the two were connected, Luna said.

Luna also announced three suspects have been arrested in connection with a shooting in East L.A. on July 5. It happened as crowds crossed the intersection near Whittier Boulevard and Leonard Avenue during a World Cup match.

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Four people were hit by gunfire, including two men, one woman and a boy. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

The sheriff said the alleged shooter, a 15-year-old known gang member, was arrested. Two female suspects, ages 21 and 38, have been arrested in the Lancaster and Palmdale areas for their alleged roles in luring the primary victim to the location and assisting the shooting suspect in evading arrest.

They’re all facing four counts of attempted murder.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Water main break floods West Hollywood streets, traps cars

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Water main break floods West Hollywood streets, traps cars

A broken water main sent water gushing from an apartment building and turned nearby streets into rivers in West Hollywood early Thursday morning. The break was reported around 3 a.m. near Holloway Drive and Sunset Boulevard. “It’s a rupture of one of the significant mains that goes through here. West Hollywood, as it turns out, […]

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