The Antelope Valley Times

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Woman in wheelchair hit by car in Lancaster

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The incident happened around 9 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 27 on Avenue L near 21st Street West. (Photo by LUIS MEZA)
The incident happened around 9 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 27 on Avenue L near 21st Street West. (Photo by LUIS MEZA)

LANCASTER – A 55-year-old woman is in critical condition after being hit by a car while crossing the street in Lancaster Wednesday night.

The incident happened around 9 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 27 on Avenue L near 21st Street West, according Lancaster Community Relations deputy Miguel Ruiz.

Lancaster resident Catherine Bronsart was in a wheelchair and was trying to cross Avenue L outside of a crosswalk when she struck by a 1995 Mercury Tracer headed eastbound on Avenue L, Ruiz said.

The 32-year-old female driver stopped and is not facing charges.

Neither alcohol nor speed was a factor for the driver, who was uninjured but “extremely shaken up” from the incident, Ruiz said.

“We want to remind people that Avenue L is a major thoroughfare with a legal high rate of speed,” Ruiz said. “People need to be aware of where they cross and they need to be careful.”

Filed Under: Lancaster

35 comments for "Woman in wheelchair hit by car in Lancaster"

    • Thank you Crystal. I was one of the first on the scene. I have had her on my mind. She was very bad off. I figured she may not make it. Just needed to know.
      No one is at fault in this situation. I hope the other party is doing well and finding peace.
      May Catherine Rest in Peace.

  4. Not only do pedestrians need to start following the laws and use the crosswalks they need to obey the signals.

  5. People need to stop J walking across streets if their not going to be safe about it. 21st street west is mighty close to20th. A little extra effort could have prevented this.

  6. So many things are available to decrease the odds of accidents; however, they are only as good as people will abide by them. A through road was recently built through my neighborhood and adults speed through it like Nascar who dont even live in our neighborhood. Now some folks want speed bumps…I say stop speeding crazies. Sad for both parties in this accident..hope all works out.

  7. About four years ago the city of Lancaster had set money aside to improve that intersection and street to prevent the continual accidents there. But the then governor of California (Arnold ?) stole the money set aside for this improvement. If this work had been done then this accident would have never happened. Arnold give us our money back!!!!

    • What work would have changed this? She was out in the street well after dark when there are crosswalks, wheelchair ramps, signal lights and a safe way to cross so close? All the money that has been spent on first putting in the ramps then redoing them in yellow with the bumps has been such a waste. Most of the ppl I see in wheelchairs and scooters around town are out in the bike lanes or street. I am aware some sidewalks are in bad shape from the trees but not all of them.

    • Can you please clarify with some factual information exactly how the Governor of the state managed to remove money from city controlled bank accounts in a local bank.

      • The governor (state of California) can indeed take money from any entity that is “state run”. I work for a California entity and if we show that we have $ that is not ear marked for our infrastructure or special project than the State can come in and take it….no questions asked.

        • The City of Lancaster is not a state run entity. Lancaster, CA is a charter city which means it is defined by it’s own charter document rather than by state, or national laws. In other words NOPE! Please try again.
          If you wonder where your city tax dollars and infrastructure money go please look to King Rex and his cronies.

  8. If the speed limit was 40 MPH, the driver might have been able to stop in time to avoids hitting the victom. But, people need to use the cross walk. They also need to wait till it’s safe to cross. It can be really dangerous crossing the street, so we all need to slow down at intersections.

    • …. if the speed limit was 40 mph ….. are you nuts?! You must be new to the “AV”. It use to take 10 minutes to get from one side of town to the other. Now its like 20 – 30 minutes. -Sorry for both parties involved-

    • Just so u know the speed limit on ave L is 55 mph near 20th West. There is crosswalks n people should start obeying laws instead of crossing them. Why is there crosswalks if people don’t use them properly.

  9. People need to use the crosswalks regardless. I have almost hit several people there on avenue L over the years at night because they come blazing across the street, usually wearing dark clothes. The street in some areas is poorly lit. I feel terrible for the driver as well as the woman in the wheelchair.

  10. Speed might not have been a factor, but in my opinion, the speed laws should be changed. Do we really need to travel at a high rate of speed (50mph) all over this desert, and in residential and/or commercial areas especially? It doesn’t take a genius to know that impact at 50 mph vs. 40 mph greatly increases the risk of pedestrian death. Not to mention, reaction time!

    • There is nothing wrong with the current speed limit. The woman CLEARLY was crossing OUTSIDE of the crosswalk, it was nighttime and the driver was in no way at fault.

  11. I was driving to dinner and I seen the lady making her way across the crosswalk going west and Ave L. Where there was a cop car at the corner watching the lady struggle to get up the side walk. When the light turned green the cop turned. There was two coos in the car and not even one cop got out to help the lady.
    About an hour and a half later I was on my way home when I seen the street blocked off and heated the lady was hit by a car.
    the cops should have helped the lady and this probably would have never happened. Instead they sped off to go eat donuts probably.

    • Why didn’t you stop to help her, Jaclyn? If you blame the cops for ignoring her plight, aren’t you just as guilty? Instead, you sped off to go eat dinner, probably.

  12. i saw a woman get hit on 10th and jackman, she wasnt injured to badly, but it her fault because she was crossing illegally.

    another elderly man floored the gas pedal in the parking lot (forgetting he was in drive and not reverse) of the mcdonalds on L and 30th west a few weeks ago, and created a second drive thru straight through the middle of the resaurant LOL

    but the point is, people need to be forced to take traffic class or a behind the wheel exam if they want to continue to drive. I see people all the time (elderly mostly) driving very unsafely, stopping in the middle of the lane(not using the two way turning lane because Y.O.L.O.), going 45-50mph on the freeway in the fast lane (which studies show is actually more dangerous than going over the speed limit if everyone is speeding i.e going 70-75mph which is normal on the 14. also really really infuriating).

    if this woman was crossing illegally than to bad for her, she should have used the cross 1/10th of a mile down the road. thats the law, and thats the reason they built it. some people do it because they want to get hit and sue.

  14. So sad. It’s about time the speed.limits change around here. Accidents happen but speed is definitely a problem around town. Prayers to both people.

    • Speed was not a factor. The pedestrian was not in a marked crosswalk. If the speed limit was 35 mph do you think the woman in the wheelchair would have walked away from this collision??

          • I feel terrible for laughing also. Then I saw your comment and laughed even harder. Prayers to both of them. I have a scooter and if it is not a cross walk I don’t cross. Also remember that at every intersection I believe there is a cross walk whether it is marked or not. Its been a long time but I remember seeing that in the dmv hand book. It could have changed or I’m crazy. That was 25 years ago.

    • Please, read article before commenting. “speed was not a factor”. Why change speed laws. Go back to the planet you came from…!

    • People need to start using crosswalks.. it will help prevent some of these accidents, not all but some.. crosswalks are there for a reason

  15. I’m sad to hear this happened. One must be aware of a lot of things when crossing streets: traffic, lighting, visibility, pathway, accessibility and more. This desert can be a dark and lonely place. Be aware and be careful out there folks.

  16. Dang that sucks my prayers are with the family I hope she makes it plese god let there be hope for this sweet angle god bless her an her family