MARCH 31, 2009 - Police officers will begin patrolling more frequently along Highway 67 after Sunday’s fatal crash. 25-year-old Alexandria Drake was killed when her car was struck by a Jaguar while traveling southbound on the Highway. It is believed that the driver, 47-year-old Melvin Pearless, was racing a BMW at the time of the collision. Witnesses saw both the BMW and Jaguar traveling at least 80 mph before Mr. Pearless lost control of his Jaguar and crossed into oncoming traffic, striking Ms. Drake’s Volvo. Her car then struck a tree. She died several hours later at Palomar Medical Center. Her infant son was also in the Volvo at the time of the crash, but was unharmed. Joel Cherry, a motorcyclist traveling behind Ms. Drake’s vehicle, swerved to avoid the crash and suffered minor injuries. Mr. Pearless was also hospitalized and is expected to face a manslaughter charge. The BMW did not stop at the scene. Although no description of the driver is available, authorities are asking anyone who has any possible information to contact 619-401-2000.
From January 1998 through March 2008, 46 people died on Highway 67. Between 2005 and 2007 alone, there were 11 deaths and 65 injuries. Authorities report that excessive speed is the main cause of accidents in that area. Some safety improvements have been made, such as last year’s installation of rumble strips to alert motorists when they are crossing over center dividing lines. The possibility of expanding the highway and putting in a concrete median is currently being discussed. The CHP is planning to use a recent grant from the Office of Traffic and Safety to perform extra patrols along the Highway, hoping to prevent more speeding and DUI-related accidents.
MARCH 31, 2009 - Four people were injured in a head-on collision in Escondido yesterday afternoon. A van traveling westbound on San Pasqual Valley Road was struck by an oncoming Civic that had crossed over the road’s dividing line. The driver of the van, a 50-year-old man, was transported to the hospital along with his wife and aunt. The 25-year-old driver of the Civic was flown to a trauma center with serious internal injuries.
MARCH 31, 2009 - Two children were struck by a car this morning in Escondido. A car exiting the Freeway hit the children as they were crossing Ninth Avenue. One child was transported to Palomar Medical Center and the other was flown to Rady Children’s Hospital.
MARCH 30, 2009 - A man was injured at Sunset Cliffs yesterday afternoon. The unidentified 23-year-old man dived off a cliff at Del Monte Avenue and struck his head on rocks underwater. Lifeguards transported the man to the hospital with cuts to the top of his head.
MARCH 30, 2009 - A motorcyclist is hospitalized after being struck by a car in Fallbrook on Friday afternoon. 64-year-old Fredrick Vandeusen was traveling southbound on Old Highway 395 when an oncoming vehicle made a left turn on to Peche Road directly in the path of Mr. Vandeusen’s motorcycle. He was transported to Palomar Medical Center with major head injuries. The other motorist, 22-year-old Carlos Delapaz was unharmed.
MARCH 30, 2009 - A bicyclist was injured after being struck by a car in Clairemont Mesa this morning. The unidentified victim was riding his bicycle on Balboa Avenue when he was hit by a vehicle near Charger Boulevard. The bicyclist was transported the hospital with severe head injuries. The driver, 42-year-old Jeffrey Althoff, was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
MARCH 30, 2009 - A pedestrian was killed in El Cajon on Saturday evening. 54-year-old Michael Moser was crossing Jamacha Road when he was struck by a pickup truck just north of Granite Hills. The truck driver stopped at the scene and contacted 911, and emergency responders pronounced Mr. Moser dead when they arrived. The victim, who is believed to be homeless, was not in a crosswalk at the time of the accident.
MARCH 30, 2009 - A young mother was killed yesterday in a multi-vehicle accident in Ramona. 25-year-old Alexandria Drake was following her mother on southbound SR-67 when a northbound Jaguar crossed into the path of her mother’s vehicle just east of Archie Moore Road. The Jaguar struck the side of her mother’s Mitsubishi Montero, nearly flipping the SUV. The Jaguar then drifted backwards, colliding with Ms. Drake’s Volvo, causing her vehicle to run off the roadway and strike a tree. A Nissan and a motorcycle that had been traveling behind Ms. Drake swerved to avoid the collision, both crashing their vehicles. Ms. Drake was transported to Palomar Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Her infant son was also in the Volvo at the time of the crash, but was unharmed. The driver of the motorcycle was transported to the hospital as well. Witnesses reported that the driver of the Jaguar, Melvin Pearless, seemed to be racing a BMW right before the crash occurred. The vehicles were seen traveling at speeds of over 80 mph. The driver of the BMW did not remain at the scene, but Mr. Pearless is expected to be charged with vehicular manslaughter.
MARCH 27, 2009 - A bicyclist was injured last night in Pacific Beach. The 56-year-old man was struck by a pickup truck after he rode his bike into oncoming traffic near the intersection of Reed Avenue and Mission Boulevard. He was transported to the hospital with a broken ankle. The driver of the truck was unharmed.
MARCH 26, 2009 - A local Marine was injured in a motorcycle accident on Tuesday night in Oceanside. The 20-year-old was traveling southbound on Canyon Drive when he lost control of his motorcycle and struck a pole just past Foster Street. The man was flown to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla with critical injuries. It does not appear that the victim was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
