Katie Weber helps students from Lawrence E. Jones Middle School cross Snyder Lane, at Medical Center Drive, in Rohnert Park on Monday, December 6, 2010. Weber plans to continue helping children cross the intersection until the city of Rohnert Park does something to improve the safety of pedestrians in the crosswalk where two-year-old Calli Murray was killed and her mother, Ling Murray, was injured when they were struck by a vehicle while crossing the road last week.

Citizens take initiative to make crosswalk safer after Rohnert Park crash

CATHY BUSSEWITZ
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Katie Weber said she never intended to become a crossing guard.

But on Monday, five days after a car accident on Snyder Lane took the life of two-year-old Calli Murray and maimed her mother, Weber decided to take matters into her own hands and make the Rohnert Park streets a bit safer.

Weber spent $35 for a bright yellow vest and a hand-held stop sign and on Monday afternoon went to the intersection where the Murrays were hit to start ferrying middle school children across the busy street.

"I've been waiting for another adult to show up to start helping those children cross the street, and it has not happened," Weber said. "I'm planning on coming here every day until they tell me not to .

.

. I didn't think it was something we could wait on doing." Weber has a child at nearby Redwood Country Day School. Her other two children attend the Lawrence Jones Middle School and Rancho Cotate High School, also on Snyder Lane.She is part of a growing chorus of parents, business owners and others who have been concerned about the safety of the intersection, where traffic is heavy in the afternoon on a street lined with schools, day care centers and medical facilities.Warner "Mike" Hepsley, 75, started collecting signatures Saturday on a petition that urges the city council to "install some kind of a traffic signal to protect pedestrians who are crossing Snyder Lane." By Monday morning, Hepsley and others had collected about 200 signatures. He plans to present the petition to the city council at their meeting Dec. 14.Also on Monday, Rohnert Park Mayor Pam Stafford refused to comment on the issue of public safety at the intersection or the city's plans for the site."I don't feel comfortable" discussing it, Stafford said. "I will say it was a terrible accident and everyone in the city feels very saddened that anyone got hurt."Calls placed early Monday to the other four city council members, the city manager and the city engineering department seeking comment and information about safety issues in the crosswalk were not returned.Matthew Morgan, assistant principal of Lawrence E. Jones Middle School, was at the intersection of Snyder and Medical Center Lane Monday afternoon walking with children who were crossing the street."I think we have a lot of issues all over the city," Morgan said. "In particular, mid-block crossings are among the most dangerous."Dozens of students welcomed Weber's help as they left school Monday afternoon. Jeff Bart, 16, a junior at Rancho Cotate High School, said he was happy that Weber was there to help on Monday."There's no stop sign, so the cars just pass by quickly," he said. "I think they should put a four-way intersection or a stop sign or something along those lines because it's crazy every year.""I just think it's much safer now that there's someone helping us to cross," said Dallys Austin, 13.Lt. Jeff Taylor of the Rohnert Park Public Safety Department said case is still under investigation, but a witness estimated that driver Kaitlyn Dunaway, 18, was driving about 25 to 30 miles per hour, below the posted 35 mph speed limit, when her car hit the two pedestrians. He asked investigators hoped to find additional witnesses and he asked that they call the department at 584-2600. Calli Murray's mother, Ling Murray, 40, was seriously injured when hit by Dunaway's 1997 Honda. On Monday she underwent another surgery in a series of procedures expected to continue for weeks, her family said."Surgery went well," said her step-father-in-law, Al Andres of Hartley, Del. "They fixed her left leg and they went back in and put a screw into her pelvis."At a candlelight vigil held Sunday to honor Calli's memory, Andres said he was struck by how difficult it was to cross Snyder Lane in the dark."Thirteen cars went by and nobody stopped," when he tried to cross the street, Andres said. "They absolutely should do something.""We have been asking for a light for a long time since we started over here," said Nancy Young, director of Redwood Country Kid's Club. "Kids are darting out between cars .

Weber has a child at nearby Redwood Country Day School. Her other two children attend the Lawrence Jones Middle School and Rancho Cotate High School, also on Snyder Lane.

She is part of a growing chorus of parents, business owners and others who have been concerned about the safety of the intersection, where traffic is heavy in the afternoon on a street lined with schools, day care centers and medical facilities.

Warner "Mike" Hepsley, 75, started collecting signatures Saturday on a petition that urges the city council to "install some kind of a traffic signal to protect pedestrians who are crossing Snyder Lane."

By Monday morning, Hepsley and others had collected about 200 signatures. He plans to present the petition to the city council at their meeting Dec. 14.

Also on Monday, Rohnert Park Mayor Pam Stafford refused to comment on the issue of public safety at the intersection or the city's plans for the site.

"I don't feel comfortable" discussing it, Stafford said. "I will say it was a terrible accident and everyone in the city feels very saddened that anyone got hurt."

Calls placed early Monday to the other four city council members, the city manager and the city engineering department seeking comment and information about safety issues in the crosswalk were not returned.

Matthew Morgan, assistant principal of Lawrence E. Jones Middle School, was at the intersection of Snyder and Medical Center Lane Monday afternoon walking with children who were crossing the street.

"I think we have a lot of issues all over the city," Morgan said. "In particular, mid-block crossings are among the most dangerous."

Dozens of students welcomed Weber's help as they left school Monday afternoon. Jeff Bart, 16, a junior at Rancho Cotate High School, said he was happy that Weber was there to help on Monday.

"There's no stop sign, so the cars just pass by quickly," he said. "I think they should put a four-way intersection or a stop sign or something along those lines because it's crazy every year."

"I just think it's much safer now that there's someone helping us to cross," said Dallys Austin, 13.

Lt. Jeff Taylor of the Rohnert Park Public Safety Department said case is still under investigation, but a witness estimated that driver Kaitlyn Dunaway, 18, was driving about 25 to 30 miles per hour, below the posted 35 mph speed limit, when her car hit the two pedestrians. He asked investigators hoped to find additional witnesses and he asked that they call the department at 584-2600.

Calli Murray's mother, Ling Murray, 40, was seriously injured when hit by Dunaway's 1997 Honda. On Monday she underwent another surgery in a series of procedures expected to continue for weeks, her family said.

"Surgery went well," said her step-father-in-law, Al Andres of Hartley, Del. "They fixed her left leg and they went back in and put a screw into her pelvis."

At a candlelight vigil held Sunday to honor Calli's memory, Andres said he was struck by how difficult it was to cross Snyder Lane in the dark.

"Thirteen cars went by and nobody stopped," when he tried to cross the street, Andres said. "They absolutely should do something."

"We have been asking for a light for a long time since we started over here," said Nancy Young, director of Redwood Country Kid's Club. "Kids are darting out between cars .

.

. in time something unfortunate was going to happen." Young said she did not file a formal request with the city for improvements, but had spoken with public safety officials and city employees about the issue over the past 25 years asking for a light at the intersection.Lt. Taylor said he was not aware of formal safety complaints about the safety of the crosswalk having been filed with the city.Dr. Jenise Briggs, a pediatric dentist whose office is at the intersection, said that when she applied for a building permit 10 years ago she was told that the city planned to install some sort of traffic light in the intersection."In general, I think we're all just sad that a little girl had to die just to get the city or somebody to pay attention to something like this," Briggs said. "We're just hoping that something will change now."

Young said she did not file a formal request with the city for improvements, but had spoken with public safety officials and city employees about the issue over the past 25 years asking for a light at the intersection.

Lt. Taylor said he was not aware of formal safety complaints about the safety of the crosswalk having been filed with the city.

Dr. Jenise Briggs, a pediatric dentist whose office is at the intersection, said that when she applied for a building permit 10 years ago she was told that the city planned to install some sort of traffic light in the intersection.

"In general, I think we're all just sad that a little girl had to die just to get the city or somebody to pay attention to something like this," Briggs said. "We're just hoping that something will change now."

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