By Geghard ARAKELIAN

A car heading westbound in the 1900 block of Waltonia Drive flipped over after hitting a parked car at about 4 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, March 24.

The fire department, California Highway Patrol and Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call when an elderly man smashed his Acura sedan into a parked Kia Optima. The parked car was damaged along with a second car parked in front of the Optima. CHP officer Ming-Yang hsu said that the Acura’s driver lives in Montrose and the accident was an apparent driving under the influence. The driver was transported to the hospital and cited and released to the hospital due to his injuries.

CHP closed off the entrance to Waltonia from Montrose Avenue and Park Place until the wreckage was cleared.

The collision occurred within a week after the Crescenta Valley Town Council hosted representatives from the Department of Public Works who addressed residents’ concerns regarding traffic in the area of Waltonia Drive and Park Place.

Liz Langford, who lives on Waltonia and whose parked car was totaled in January, said that she and her neighbors were going to start a neighborhood watch group as part of our continuing effort to “bring some sanity to our neighborhood.”

The morning after the town council meeting, CHP officers monitored the area from 5:30 a.m. to about 9 a.m., issuing 12 citations and impounding one vehicle. According to Officer Ming-yang hsu, none of the citations were for speed. The main problem he observed was of drivers crossing the double yellow lines on Park Place.

According to CV Town Council Vice President Steve Goldsworthy, who also chairs the council streets and roadways committee, a speed survey has been completed and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will review its results before taking action. However, changes in the speed limit are expected to drop from 30 to 25 MPH.

Goldsworthy added that the council is confident in the actions that the county will take. The council acts as an advisory agency to the county.

“We rely on the experience and expertise of the county’s traffic engineers,” Goldsworthy said, adding that the council feels they have been responsive to residents’ concerns. “Our meeting earlier this month was not a one shot fix, we will continue to look at ways of improving safety in that neighborhood, and we will continue to get feedback from the residents on our progress.”

Mary O’Keefe contributed to this story

  montrose, Waltonia