Stop when they walk this way

Deepa Bharath

Police officers will look for motorists on Monday who fail to yield

to pedestrians near a busy intersection of East 17th Street, where a

man was struck and killed by a drunk driver while crossing the street

in March.

Andre Felipe De Oliveira Braga, 31, of Laguna Beach, died in front

of Pierce Street Annex bar during the early hours of March 5 near the

intersection of 17th Street and Santa Ana Avenue, where he was hit by

22-year-old Pawel Stanislaw Wiater who, police said, was speeding and

driving under the influence.

Another pedestrian, 25-year-old John Garazulis of Westminster, was

also injured in the crash. He suffered severe head injuries and

remains in a coma, police said. Wiater was charged with vehicular

manslaughter and driving under the influence.

Monday’s special traffic enforcement will hopefully send a message

to drivers that they need to stop whether a pedestrian is crossing at

a crosswalk, Costa Mesa Police Officer Bryan Wadkins said.

On Monday, officers in plainclothes will be crossing the street at

the crosswalk in the area, Wadkins said. Drivers who don’t yield or

stop will be cited, he said. Violators will face a minimum fine of

$150, Wadkins said. Monday’s enforcement will be during the day

because of “officer safety concerns,” he said.

The area has had more than its share of pedestrian-related injury

accidents, raising concerns among residents and business owners in

the neighborhood, Wadkins said.

Brian Harris, owner of Frank’s Flowers, said crossing the busy

street, especially in the 300 block of East 17th Street, has been

problematic for pedestrians. But he said the city’s proposal to put

medians in that area would not solve the problem.

“It would become a traffic hazard,” Harris said. “People won’t be

able to make left turns.”

This is not an issue exclusive to this part of town, Wadkins said.

In 2003, 41 pedestrians were injured in traffic accidents citywide,

he said.

“It can be a problem anywhere and everywhere,” Wadkins said. “We

have people cross at all points on 19th Street. We also see that

happening on Harbor Boulevard between Wilson Street and Newport

Boulevard.”

This is the second time police are conducting such enforcement in

the city. The earlier one was done at Placentia Avenue and 20th

Street in early 2002. At that time officers issued 110 citations to motorists during a 3 1/2-hour period, Wadkins said.

The city’s plan to remodel 17th Street will include traffic safety

measures, he said. Wadkins said officials are proposing to install a

lighted crosswalk on 17th Street where lights ensconced in the street

begin to flash when a pedestrian attempts to cross the road.

In many cases, it’s not the motorists’ fault that the accidents

occur, he said.

“Many of these accidents can be prevented if pedestrians use the

crosswalks,” Wadkins said. “But our point is that even if a

pedestrian is crossing the street improperly, it is the motorists’

responsibility to yield to them.”