Infamous Intersection's Signals Changed After Teen With Autism Fatally Struck By 2 Cars
PALMS (CBSLA.com) — A five-point intersection considered by many residents to be busy, confusing and dangerous, is seeing changes after a teenager with autism was struck and killed by two cars as he was walking to school.
David Lindley, 15, was struck and killed at the intersection of Robertson Blvd. and Venice Blvd. in Palms last week. Lindley's family went to the Department of Transporation, discussing concerns over the five-point intersection's safety.
However, DOT says the signals in the intersection were working just as they were designed to at the time of Lindley's death.
"The citizens of LA have to wait until somebody dies for people to actually do something," Lindley's mother Maureen Sennhauser said.
Lindley's family shared a video they shot of a traffic light at the intersection turning red, while the pedestrian's signal was still counting down. They brought the video to a DOT committee meeting on Wednesday.
"Just another day," Sennhauser said. "'We had a fatality, made some changes. Next', and that's what hurt me. (There was) no acknowledgement about, really, what happened."
DOT says the traffic lights now hold traffic back until the pedestrian signal has completed its countdown.
DOT released a statement, saying, "While this change would not have prevented Tuesday's unfortunate loss of life, LADOT is taking this opportunity to improve safety at this location."
Lindley's family took exception to that statement.
"You can't tell me that the light was fine when he crossed the street," Sennhauser said. "My son would be here today, and I wouldn't be having this interview. I'd be at home, hugging him, and I will never have that."
The two drivers involved in the incident stopped, and were not facing charges as of Wednesday night.