A lane of traffic was blocked on Temescal Canyon Road on Sunday because of a solo car accident.
Around 2 p.m. on Mother’s Day, May 8, a driver slammed into the median between Radcliffe Avenue and Temescal Canyon Road on Bowdoin Street.
Pieces of his car were in the median. The school sign had been flattened. The vehicle suffered damage and came to rest in the middle of Temescal Canyon Road.
When Circling the News arrived on the scene, the man had been detained and was in the back seat of a police car. Although he was not handcuffed or restrained, other than sitting in the back seat of the car, he started screaming he couldn’t breathe.
Fire Station 69 paramedics came, and the man was transported to the hospital.
The car interior, which could be viewed by walking by in the cross walk, had several 12-packs of Bud Light.
Nearby residents said the car was blaring music when it hit the median, and some suspected alcohol. Circling the News has no information whether the man took a DUI test or was intoxicated.
Neighbors called Scott Cullen, who had won a Golden Sparkplug award from the Pacific Palisades Community Council for beautifying that median. He came over and surveyed the damage and asked police officers if the driver could make restitution.
He was told that he should contact the city. He wrote Noah Fleishman in Councilman Mike Bonin’s office.
“Today a drunk driver drove over much of the median and took out many of the plants and left lots of car debris as the car hurled toward its final resting spot in the middle of Temescal Canyon Road.
“There are some plants left. I am going to try to salvage many of the succulents.
I think the police have sent a request to some agency to clean up the area,” Cullen said.
“Our concern is that in the past as the city maintenance group called “GREEN GARDEN, INC.” removes plants and clears out mulch – and that is the opposite of what is needed.”
Cullen said that he had removed some of the car debris and would like the City to take that debris away, without trampling the remaining plants.
He asked if the City could fix the School Zone sign, which is laying in the median.
“If you are able to intervene and help, please ask that no mulch/leaves/ground cover be removed,” Cullen said. “The mulch helps keep the ground nutrient rich and conserves water. If anything, if additional mulch can be brought that would be most helpful.”
Cullen said if he knew when a City crew would be sent out, he would be happy to stop by and assist.
The sign was pushed over and parts of a car were left in the median and adjoining road after a driver drove over it on Sunday afternoon.