Encinitas residents push for safer streets after girl’s death

ENCINITAS — Residents packed the city’s Mobility & Traffic Safety Commission meeting on May 21, voicing emotional pleas for safer streets following the death of a 12-year-old girl who was fatally struck by a vehicle last month along Encinitas Boulevard.

Residents and friends of the victim, Emery Chalekian, a sixth-grade student at Park Dale Lane Elementary School, gathered at Wednesday’s meeting to urge the city to act swiftly to prevent future tragedies.

Chalekian was killed on April 25 while walking in a crosswalk at the intersection of Encinitas Boulevard and Village Square Drive when a westbound Nissan Xterra collided with a southbound Ford Fusion and then struck her, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Speakers called for urgent safety improvements, vigorous enforcement and visible traffic changes to protect other children and residents.

“Every time we get into these seats, we have a huge responsibility to ourselves and the other drivers around us,” said Josh Armstrong, who shared video footage he had taken documenting dangerous driver behavior near the crash site.

Armstrong suggested adding a traffic signal at Turner Avenue, noting that traffic often speeds downhill toward Village Square Drive.

Other speakers called for more substantial enforcement along the busy thoroughfare.

“The best way to slow down traffic isn’t narrowing the streets,” said Bernie Dillon. “It’s real simple — you put cameras up everywhere, and you start issuing tickets.”

Lisa Provenzano raised concerns about recurring red-light running and traffic backups, particularly at the left turn from Encinitas Boulevard onto Quail Gardens Drive.

“The left-turn arrow timing only allows for four cars to make a left turn legally. The fifth car always goes, the sixth car often goes illegally,” she said.

Provenzano also highlighted the impact of upcoming changes at Paul Ecke Central Elementary and the added traffic expected as students are rerouted to other schools.

“That’s a lot more cars,” she said. “Does the traffic engineering department look at things that will happen soon like this?”

Laura Van Dusen, a friend of the Chalekian family, voiced concerns about children walking along busy corridors.

“I’ve also had the same concerns about letting my kids walk alongside Encinitas Boulevard or via Cantabria,” she said. “They’re speeding on Via Cantabria a lot.”

Another resident, Lara Grimmer, urged the city to declare a state of emergency, similar to Carlsbad’s action following the death of Christine Embree, a 35-year-old woman who was struck and killed while riding an e-bike with her 16-month-old child at the intersection of Basswood Avenue and Valley Street.

The toddler survived without injury despite being thrown from her mother’s e-bike, but Embree died the following day at the hospital. The driver, 43-year-old Lindsay Turmelle, eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

“In honor of Emery and in protection of the rest of our children, please declare a state of emergency when you can,” Grimmer said. “The city of Carlsbad did that, and you already see improvements in Carlsbad.”

Traffic Commissioner James Gross said the commission will urge the city to declare a state of emergency in response to rising vehicle-related fatalities, but noted that law enforcement must first complete its investigations to determine the contributing factors in each case.

“One of the things we’re trying to deal with is declaring a state of emergency for four fatalities,” Gross said. “We need the criminal investigations to be closed to make sure these aren’t somehow happening for reasons other than distracted driving, drunk driving, etc.”

Another parent, Rhiana Glor, said she frequently witnesses drivers ignoring stop signs near her home in Village Park.

“People are just not adhering to the rules of the road,” she said. “We would love to see more enforcement, and then hopefully that would prevent some of these tragedies.”

In response to residents’ concerns, City Traffic Engineer Abe Bandegan said traffic signal and safety improvements are being evaluated using a portion of approximately $900,000 in Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grants recently awarded to the city for safety-related projects along Encinitas Boulevard between Calle Magdalena and Via Cantabria.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Christy Trampas also presented data showing a rise in citations and crashes last month, saying her department is working to increase DUI patrols and enforcement in high-collision areas.

Several residents, including speakers with personal ties to Emery’s family, called for physical improvements such as flashing lights or signage near the crash site.

“This is how we show our love,” Armstrong said. “By making sure enough is enough.”

The Sheriff’s Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team continues to investigate the crash. Anyone with information or video footage is asked to contact the department’s non-emergency line at 858-565-5200 or call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. Anonymous tips can also be submitted at www.sdcrimestoppers.org.

A memorial for Chelekian will be held at 5:30 p.m. on June 9 at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad. More information here.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the date of Emery Chelekian’s fatal injury was April 26. The incident occurred on April 25. We regret the error.