The Antelope Valley Times

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1 killed after driver crosses into oncoming traffic in Lancaster [updated]

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Leslie Fleming [Image via gofundme]
LANCASTER – A female driver died early Sunday morning after another female driver crossed into oncoming traffic, causing a head-on collision in Lancaster, authorities said.

The fatal crash happened around 12:40 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, on Avenue J east of 40th Street East, according to a news release from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.

“Preliminary information gathered at the scene revealed a Dodge Caliber, being driven by a female adult driver, was traveling west on Avenue J towards 40th Street East.  The Dodge crossed the center line of the roadway and collided head on with a Hyundai Sonata, which was travelling east on Avenue J,” the news release states.

“The female adult driver of the Hyundai passed away as a result of her injuries at the scene of the collision.  The male adult passenger was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries, and is expected to survive,” the news release states.

“The female adult driver of the Dodge was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries and is expected to survive,” the news release states.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation.  Drugs, alcohol or speeding do not appear to be factors in the collision, according to the news release.

Anyone with information regarding this collision is encouraged to contact the traffic investigators at the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station at 661-948-8466.

UPDATE: The deceased driver has been identified as 34-year-old Leslie Sophia Fleming of Palmdale, according to coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter.

UPDATED: A gofundme account has been established to help the male passenger, Josh Hartley, pay his medical bills. To donate to this cause, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/help-for-josh-to-pay-his-bills.

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Filed Under: Lancaster

39 comments for "1 killed after driver crosses into oncoming traffic in Lancaster [updated]"

  1. A few days ago, it was revealed that Christine Novak is being charged with murder because of being under the influence of drugs. She also was driving without a license or insurance. She had been stopped a few weeks before the accident, but was allowed to drive off to appear in court. She didn’t appear, she was set free from the hospital, without being arrested, although ti doesn’t take 5 months to figure out if someone had drugs in their system. She lived without consequence, during the holidays while the families suffered. She ran when she found out, and they had to go searching for her. Everything she did showed irresponsibility and what causes me so much pain is the fact when you read the comments above how people were taking the sides of the person who murdered Leslie. Also, the paper said it didn’t look like drugs or speeding was a factor. That wasn’t true and how can a paper come to a conclusion like that before the facts are in. They could have said, the investigation was going on and blood tests were taken to see if any drugs were involved. The paper was wrong and I think they should be careful in the future not to make false assumptions. When you look at the history of Christine Novak, one could clearly see that her past would draw one to a conclusion that drugs were a possibility.

    If the paper was going to do their job, they should be asking these questions? Why did it take so long to find out if there were drugs in her system? Why was she not arrested before leaving the hospital? Why did the living victim not become informed and communicated over the past 5 months? Why do we allow the families to continue to suffer because lack of communication. This is not what the Victim Bill of Rights says and we should move forward to discuss this and not allow people who are suffering the most to be left in the dark because our system and the people in charge become complacent.

  2. RESPECT LIFE

    HUG YOUR LOVED ONES

    BUCKLE UP AND STAY VIGILANT ON THE ROAD

    MOST OF ALL LIVE YOUR DREAMS BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS OUR TIME

    LOVE MORE

    LIVE MORE

    GO FOR YOUR DREAMS

    LESLIE HAD THE LOVE OF HER LIFE AND A JOB SHE LOVED.

    ARE YOU SO LUCKY?

    LIVE FOR LESLIE EVERYDAY

    LAUGH FOR LESLIE IN EVERY WAY

    RESTORE LANCASTER

    RESTORE THE VALUE FOR LIFE

    LOVE WINS

  3. I am the father of Joshua Hartley. I am saddened by this accident because I know what the future was bringing to Josh and to Leslie. Leslie, was a guiding light for Josh. She was his soul-mate and she brought Joshua’s heart to feel and understand love.
    I wish somehow we could bring that night back, that somehow we could re-arrange the time so this accident wouldn’t have happened as it took an angel away, and has scarred my son for life. But that isn’t reality. So everyone of us including my son has a responsibility to change things that seem so wrong.

    Joshua, found out today, that the person who hit him didn’t have insurance, and she didn’t even have a driver’s license. Why does everyone else have to suffer because of stupidty! This was not an accident from my point of view. It was a person who knew they didn’t have a license, didn’t have insurance, fell asleep at the wheel and killed a person, and injured many others emotionally. The law has to be changed and I am going to do everything I can to do that.

    I do not hate this woman because she has many issues, and in my heart I will continue to work towards forgiveness, but we need to make sure this never happens again, and starting with this tradegy, we need to do everything we can so no one else looses a loved one or has a scarred son or daughter who lives, and will suffer the rest of their lives.

    I’m not pointing fingers, but it is crazy to allow someone to drive without a license, no insurance and get a slap on the wrist. This is wrong and with all my energy, I am going to work to change the laws on this. I am sorry for the other family also because all of them will go thru life, knowing if there sister, daughter or relative or friend, had done the responsible thing, everyone would be in their beds tonight safely. DMV and California need to change the law that reads…If you drive on a suspended, reveoked liicense, or you do not possess one, your car will be impounded, automatic jail and a loss of priveledges for life to drive.

    Until, all of us begin to push on this, this will continue and people will die needlessly. This is crazy to allow this to go on. WE should call it, Leslie’s Law.

      • My prayers for you and you sir , the thing is; a person or people that are of the type that will drive without privlege etc…as the. Woman that was at fault did, WILL in fact not be deter by the “loss of driving privilege s for life” wording . She has clearly displayed herself to be. Unfettered by rules / laws or the like. Jail time will pass and i would bet she would maintain the disregard for the rule of law required as a licensed & responsible driver. Those of us & w/o this fault, that will follow our laws/ rules would only be affected in brueatic red tape (or the like) cost . etc… I have on griped in regard to the “I/Me ” mentality so many drive with and so many actual road rules that seem go get lost somehow on so many. I mean SO MANY. I am emathetic & yes something needs to give/change in all this but i am not sure exactly what . More frequent & thorough testing &/teaching. In Of road rules like MERGING AND RIGHT OF WAY , POSTED SPEED LIMITS are the LIMIT. Of how high you maybe can travel depending on a number of factors . Also , MANNES AND CONSIDERATION OF ONE ANOTHER ARE LOW ON EVERY LEVEL ANYMORE. GRADE SCHOOL THRU AND BEYOND ANY REQIRED LEVEL. ALL DRIVERS. NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL RULE OF THE ROAD ARE FOR ALL AND THEY EVEN. ARE IN RESPECT TO CONDITIONS OF VARIOUS FACTORS , INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WEATHER , SPEED . ALL REQUIRE CONSIDERATION OF ALL PEOPLES, AND MORE. RATHER THAN RULES FOR ANYONE BUT “ME” & “I” AM MORE ENTITLED THAN THEM METALITY THAT I SEE GROWING. AT AN ALARMING RATE FRANKLY. LIKE A TRUCK DRIVER TAKES FAULT REGARDLESS DUE TO BEING. AT “PROFESSIONAL” STATUS. FINE SO EDUCATE ALL DRIVERS TO THE FACT THAT THOSE BIG TRUCKS CAN POSSIBLY STOP ON A DIME WHEN SO “I ” CUT S IN ITS PATH W/O KNOWLEDGE OR TRIES TO CHEAT BY CAUSE THERE IS AN OPEN SPACE TO THE RIGHT. WHEN THE trucks makigng a trun for instance. I know of a guy that’s haunted yrs past incidet. Some did the prested an got killed when the trailer track over his car in an impatient & illegal quick dodge for their own needs above all. Driver looked and back the proper way but timiing had the car the after looking and being clear, tucked in and wad squashed. Nothing like what happened to Leslie in action but clearly a “ME” “I” ,w/o regard to ALL OTHER AS WAS THE SAME AS SOMEONE who feels entilted and above the driver license/ ins. Requirement. I am thinking there is a deeper need of behavior & early teaching of yor to a degree. For all & a bit less focus on $$ that are way to focused on above civilities and such. I am certain i have been remiss on some points but feel extremely longwinded at this point.
        I am extremely empathetic .have much compasion for the tragic and un necessary situation you & yours have to experience due to the choice of seemingly one . yes her but we as a whole(soceity) need to make some very real & not simple changes in our thinking as a people. Prayers . Suzanne.

    • I agree with a law put in place to have faster police response times,texting laws, and also more punishment for reckless endangerment. She should never have been on the road. She was a danger and should face a consequence for her reckless actions, sober or asleep. This is something that could have been avoided if this person was not on the road since she had no licence or insurance. Did she steal the car? Did someone give her the car? All of these thing do not bring Leslie back. She should have a lifetime of volunteering for people who are recovering from car accidents or to dedicate her life to something to honor the person she took away.

      Prayers to the Flemings and to Josh and his family. Respect and love to you at this time of great loss.
      This woman gave a lot to the community and was a loyal cornerstone of what is GREAT about Lancaster. Let her name live on in a Positive way to bring others up and give them hope because that is what she did.

      We should be creating a center to help those in need for Leslie to get those people out of situations that harm the community. The Leslie Hope Center in Lancaster California. Serving those who need help. Lancaster needs a lot of help and HOPE most of all. Let’s think about a HOPE CENTER to promote a better life for lancaster residents. Then this women could be a volunteer and GIVE BACK becaue she took Leslie from THE COMMUNTIY.

      RESTORE LANCASTER

      Me and leslie grew up here and it was great. It no longer reflects the days of our youth.

      RESTORE LANCASTER

      IT STARTS WITH US.

  4. Prayers for strength, guidance and understanding during this very difficult time. The police need to pull phone records and see if this was a texting and driving “accident”

  5. Unless the woman driving the other car was having a stroke or heart attack, she should be charged with murder. She murdered my beautiful niece, I hope she burns in hell.

        • No, it actually isn’t. There are a whole lot of additional qualifications to murder besides “took a life.” I’m sorry for your loss, but it takes a whole lot of circumstances for a traffic collision to qualify as a murder.

          • At the end of the day this woman was reckless. The consequences of her action should reflect her actions and she did cause the loss of a life that was extremely valued by the community and for that she should give back. She can NEVER replace Leslie but there should be something in place to prevent this from EVER happening again.

            LESLIE We live for you dearest angel…

      • No one has accused more people wrongly than Mayor R. Rex Parris. Raymond Lee Jennings. Randy Floyd. Esmeralda Jorge. Johnathan Ervin. James Ledford. Judith Cooperberg. David Grejeda. David Abbey.

        He is in the character assasination business along with pursuing frivolous lawsuits.

        Why doesn’t he just take his money and go to his Million Dollar Beach Mansion in Laguna?

      • I was in the car. It was murder. You just like flapping your lips. She was on drugs. How the [removed] can you defend or deny when you don’t know [removed]. Just keep your mouth closed. [removed].

  7. Hi, I send my sympathy to family and friends of the woman who passed… Lets just use this to help create an awareness about head on accidents mabey go to city hall and request a center divider to run into instead..I’m pretty sure everyone would be alive if they did have one…….

  8. It’s such a tragedy my thoughts and prayers are with both parts of the family. Now the driver that crashed into Leslie will have to live with the remorse of causing her death. May they all recover emotionally, mentally and physically. Specially for Josh Hartley that went through it. The journey ahead will be long and hard, but stay strong in your endeavor to continue on. That God the Almighty may grant you strength, endurance, comfort and peace “so you may abound in hope through the Holy Spirit.” (Ro.15:13)

  9. My most sincere and loving thoughts go to all the families involved. To the family of Leslie, I am sorry for your loss. To the family of the surviving driver, I can’t imagine having to live with this, may she find peace with herself that accidents happen. For all those with bitter words, try and not be the white trash you are. Put yourselves in both families situations, all have experienced a loss and all have a very long road of healing.

  10. To Josh and the angle lesile, my prayers And with Josh and his getting through this pain and not having his partner,wife and soulmate to go home to. We lost an amazing, loving, full of life girl that the time was cut way to short.
    I’m from Lancaster born and raised on the east side and the ppl think the desert is a race track and stop signs are a suggestion, but until we get answers the key is to be aware of what’s around you, be cautious to everything.
    Ppl can’t assume you can’t judge. This women has to live everyday knowing the outcome of her actions, could you live with it?. And now Josh, really put yourself in his place could you live your everyday loosing what he has?
    We lost a beautiful butterfly, an angle here and in heaven I will miss you so much. Josh be strong you have so much love surrounding you.

  11. The majority of ALL car accidents involve sober drivers. Learn facts before you start posting comments demonstrating your big mouth small brain hysteria syndrome.

  12. read the article people. it clearly says that drugs, alcohol, and speeding do NOT appear to be factors. who knows what caused this accident ? don’t be so quick to judge……..

  13. This is very sad. I drive this road everyday and people go like hell down this road. It is no wonder more people don’t die. As for the driver that caused this accident she will get her day in court. Hopefully it was not drunk driving. The boyfriend needs to sue the driver for medical bills and pain and suffering. And her family needs to sue for wrongful death.

  14. … in the United States of America, we apportion accountability. When it’s our fault, it is our patriotic duty as Americans, to internalize the consequence of our actions. Here in the sanctuary state of Mexifornia, there is no accountability. Dumb Mexican girl stuffing her face, eating-while-texting-while-driving, dunders her car straight into the aqueduct, nothing could ever be her fault. Right? That’s because, everything is thee fault of the stinking gring0s, for not putting up the barriers, so thee senorita can eat, while texting, while driving –

    • AV times, please do your job and monitor for racism. Pathetic how much hate speech you guys allow on the forums, and no way to notify you or flag.

      • For good or for ill, here we have The First Amendment. As an American (and big mouth), I really don’t like being censored or edited, and neither should you. Oh, never mind, we don’t need no stinking constitution.

        California already emasculated the Second Amendment. Now they’re working on the First at Berkely. So don’t worry, you’ll have conformity of thought of the group-think antifa herd here in CA soon enough. Resistance is futile, lol.

        • The first amendment has absolutely no bearing on moderation policy of a privately owned website. If you are going to wrap yourself in the constitution at least understand what it says first.

    • Why? Do u really think that person intentionally killed her? Waw this person going west drunk? You dont know that. This was an accident. And as sas as this is it is exactly that. I know alot of people that know the girl killed. And i pray for her family and ones who loved her. But i also pray for everyone else even that person going west! . now if this was a drunk driver my sympathy may be different but as of now 2 familys are in pain. And that drivers life will be different from now on as well. So please people. As much as it hurts please remember we aren’t promised tomorrow. No need to throw stones. Just healing thoughts and accept what it was.

      • it’s not an accident when you knowingly get behind the wheel of a car w/o a drivers license or insurance. Pretty simple… if she was following the law, this tragedy would have never happened. She had no business driving!

      • my thoughts not drinking and driving, COMING up to a stop sign.. Not paying attention I am thinking she was on her cell phone.. Another lost life,…… To Young.. May all find healing strength