By Jason KUROSU

Since 2006, seven accidents have been reported at the corner of Briggs Avenue and Shields Street, with the latest occurring on Dec. 15. Greta Pruitt, who lives on the 2300 block of Shields Street, has had the fence on her property struck by drivers several times throughout the last six years. The fence, which has been repaired and replaced after several incidents, sits at the end of Briggs. Multiple drivers have hit the fence while failing to make the turn onto Shields Street and all but one driver fled the scene at the time of the accident. Pruitt feels that all the drivers involved were intoxicated.

County officials installed a stop sign in November, but the sign did not prevent another accident from occurring Saturday at about 4:30 a.m.

“He ran right through it,” said Pruitt.

The stop sign installation was the result of a road and traffic study conducted by L.A. County regarding the accidents. But Pruitt has other ideas of what might improve traffic on her block.

“For one thing, we need a double arrow sign like we have on Rosemont Avenue. But I’m also concerned about the box,” she said, referring to the AT&T box which sits before Pruitt’s fence on the street. “Miraculously, it’s been missed in every accident so far.”

Pruitt has spoken with AT&T and the county about installing a cement post as a barrier for protecting the box, but says she has received little to no feedback on the idea. Pruitt remains concerned about a potential collision with the box and the subsequent loss of telephone and internet service to a great number of homes throughout the area.

“That would be a large mess for our community.”

  Jason Kurosu