30 September 2008

Update on Carbon Canyon Road Closure

The 25 September crash that caused the closure of Carbon Canyon Road made a brief appearance in the pages of the Chino Hills Champion last Saturday, as follows:


Two people were injured in a head-on crash on Carbon Canyon Road Thursday night, prompting a 90-minute closure of the road . . .
The crash occurred at 6:16 p.m. near Rosemary Lane [this is intersection closest to the Orange County line]. One driver suffered broken legs and back pain and was flown to Loma Linda University Medical Center, fire officials said.


The second driver suffered cuts and was treated at Pomona Valley Medical Center.Sheriff's deputies are investigating the crash.


The next day I was talking to my father-in-law, who lives in Olinda Village and had to stop at a Brea police checkpoint turning cars around that were trying to get through to the Inland Empire. He told me that the officer there said that a drunk driver caused the accident. Now, this is hearsay, but it is something to remember if we hear anything more about the investigation of the accident.


By the way, when's the last time a sobriety checkpoint was conducted on Carbon Canyon Road in either Brea or Chino Hills? When's the last time there was a speed trap set at any time other than the specific times followed by the Chino Hills Sheriff's Department? When does the Brea P. D. set up traps?
Remember: the first priority of government and law enforcement is the protection of life and property. Given that the crime rates in both Brea and Chino Hills are low, it stands to reason that some extra attention given to the Canyon would be more than justified. I suppose when an innocent life is taken, that's when something will be done (kind of like when we don't address an economic crisis until the disaster has struck, rather than apply preventive measures), which means being reactive rather than proactive. I've tried sending e-mails, making calls, etc, but I've been pretty bluntly told that public group pressure is likely the only other way any attention will be paid by the people we pay to govern us. So, we'll see.

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