LANCASTER – Arturo Leuvanos De La Torre was a loving husband, father of three, and grandfather of two. The 49-year-old always had a ready smile and hug for everyone he met, according to wife Luisa Luevanos.
“He was the sweetest man you would ever want to meet,” she said, while choking back tears. De La Torre’s wife, his sons and several family members gathered Monday morning at the intersection of 10th Street East and Avenue G, the site of the fatal collision that took De La Torre’s life this past weekend.
“I’m really sad that both of my kids are not going to be able to know their grandfather, have fun with him, spend time with him,” said son Arturo Leuvanos.
De La Torre was in a pickup truck that was broadsided by a car that ran a stop sign on 10th Street East, causing both vehicles to careen off the road into a ditch.
“He was the passenger so he got the whole impact, he was crushed,” wife Luisa said, adding that she was at work when she heard the tragic news.
Her husband had been getting a lift home from Food 4 Less around 6:25 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 21) and was less than five minutes away from home at the time of the crash, Luisa said.
Driver Erazmo Arroyoayala and De La Torre were in a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck headed eastbound on Avenue G when their vehicle was hit by a Honda Civic that drove through a stop sign on 10th Street East, according to a California Highway Patrol report.
The pickup truck had the right of way because Avenue G is not controlled by a traffic control device or stop sign at that intersection, CHP officials said.
Three of the five people in the Honda Civic were also killed in the collision – driver 22-year-old Marissa Fritz, 17-year-old Breanna Heyrend and 17-year-old Roland Mohan.
Luisa said she was not upset with the other party over the loss of her husband.
“I’m a mother, and I could just imagine losing children, especially that young and that many,” Luisa said. “All I ask for is a four-way stop so we could not lose any more lives.”
Luisa joined family members and residents in calling for a four-way stop to replace the two- way stop at the intersection of Avenue G and 10th Street East. Lancaster resident Carla Greenwood said her sister nearly died at that very same intersection more than a decade ago.
“I almost lost a sister, I did lose a good friend, and I’ve been asking for 15 years for something to be done. I’m hoping this wakes up the community,” Greenwood said, adding that she, too, almost got hit in the intersection by a service truck.
“I wish they would put a four-way stop, a blinking light, something… it needs to be done,” Greenwood continued.
Lancaster commissioner Dr. Miguel Coronado said he would be helping the family in lobbying for a four-way stop or traffic device at the intersection. Coronado said he was mobilizing an effort through his organization, Agents of Change, a humanitarian group focused on the local community.
“All the people that I know and care for are asking, ‘what do you need?’” Luisa said. “We’re just asking if you could support us in getting a sign out here for other people… Maybe something good could come out of this.”
“It would make me the happiest if we could make a change and not wait another 15 years,” Luisa continued.
The family is hosting a car wash fundraiser to help cover the cost of De La Torre’s funeral. The fundraiser will be held from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 at the smog gas station on 10th Street West and Avenue I in Lancaster.
For more information about the car wash fundraiser or to join the effort to get a four-way stop at the intersection of 10th Street East and Avenue G, contact Agents of Change at 661-466-6810.
Previous related story: Lancaster crash kills four, victims ID’d
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Russ Russ says
All very sad. Cars are so dangerous. It’s a numbers game out there with all the texting, drinking, or just not paying attention to the road with all of today’s electronic distractions. One distraction that is very common today is roadside memorials like the big cross that people driving by will look over at. With all the immigration for Mexico and South America today, there are a lot of roadside memorials because of this custom from these countries, whereas when I was a kid I had never even seen one before. My advise it to morn and show respect at the grave site of those you loved and not cause more distractions for drivers by putting up roadside memorials. It’s just too dangerous on the roads. We don’t want to loose any more loved ones.
Andrea S. says
RIP to those we lost. My heart and prayers go out to all the families. The Luevanos especially <3
Salvador says
May My nuclear Arturo R.I.P … We will miss You!
Salvador says
Uncle**
James Sosa says
Very sad….
wesley says
I knew two of the people that died in the crash
*** says
Why is Miguel Coronado only asking for a 4 way stop sign in Lancaster concerning this tragic accident? When Valenzuela died at the one way stop at 55th and R in Palmdale, Miguel marched the family into Rex Parris’s office to sue Palmdale the very next day. Surely he wouldn’t use his position as a Rex appointed commissionaire to keep this family from taking any legal action against the city, would he?
MR. PERPLEXED says
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM A POLITICIAN?
HE’S JUST LIKE THAT CHARACTER IN THE XMEN MOVIE, HE MORPHS INTO WHAT EVER IS CONVENIENT TO HIM. FOR THE PALMDALE INCIDENT NEEDED TO BE “RAZA” SO HE SUED, FOR THIS ONE HE NEEDS TO BE A POLITICIAN TO KEEP LANCASTER FROM BEING SUED AND KEEP HIS GOOD STANDING WITH LORD REX!!
Cary says
55th and R in Palmdale, is in a residential neighborhood with a Park on one corner.
10th St E and ave G is a remote area with no development visible in any direction.
Are you suggesting these are comparable intersections?
*** says
How many people in the article talk about either getting in an accident at this corner, or been involved in a near miss? Are you suggesting we should only try to stop accidents in residential areas? Or are you just protecting a Rex tool?
Cary says
I’m just saying that the fix for cars running through stop signs, is not getting more stop signs.
G. Marrion says
In this article, I can only count one.
G. Marrion says
Make that 2 in two years. The near miss in comments happened on ave J. I also see why Coronado is only lobbying on the issue. It is a LA county matter and out of his Lancaster jurisdiction.
Barry Bigtoe says
Lancaster is better served to focus it’s street safety on streets that are actually in the city of lancaster. If you have a problem with this intersection you may need to contact the County of Los Angeles.
Denise says
A 4 way stop was put up today at 55th e and Ave R! Sadly we had to lose a young man to get it done…but that’s usually the way it has to go.
cv says
I have asked the county several times to extend the culvert pipe 40ft and backfill that 8ft deep hole,it might not of helped much this time.But I am sure it could of saved other lives.If a contractor left a ditch that large next to the road and a accident happened he would sued for everything he has and more.
Michelle Moore says
This is very sad!!! Two years ago at that very intersection I was in a car accident heading east on Ave J and the other car didn’t stop and I couldn’t stop in time and hit her. Thank god everyone was okay but it terrifies me to have intersections like that out here. They all need to be a 4 way stop and something to slow people down before you get to the intersection.
G. Marrion says
A 4-way stop would have only provided a slower vehicle for the car that blew through the stop sign to T-Bone. Better to address the actual problem and place warning grooves and reflective striping to warn of rural stop signs ahead that are already in place. Loading up the rural east side with additional stop signs would only make the problem worse
carla willkett says
please put up at 4-way stop sign or a flashing light please so we dont have to lose any more livesand i’m so sorry for the 4 lives that was lost and want to say rest in peace and god bless the familys.
Tracy says
Very sad for all involved!
chrlrss says
I am so sorry for your family & hope something good can come of this like safer rural areas.
I used to love just going for drives on these roads but try to avoid them at all costs now.
Seems there is always someone ignoring these stop signs these days – even school buses!
Marissa says
The crash happened at 6:30pm. It was not dark at the time. However, depending on which direction the honda was driving…she easily could have been blinded by the sunset. It is very hard to see if ur driving westbound at that time. Maybe she didn’t see the stop sign or it was too late by the time she saw it.
Mr. Mister says
The Tacoma was headed eastbound, the Civic broadsided the Tacoma on the passenger side, meaning they were headed northbound. So I don’t think the sun was a factor. R.I.P. to all the lives lost. My condolences to the families of all involved. Will definitely try to make the car wash.
DrinkYourKoolAid says
I think it would also be beneficial (albeit costly), if more of these dark rural roads had raised reflector patches leading up to intersections so 1/4 mile or so ahead of time, your car vibrates to draw your attention.