Vehicle Struck 12-Year-Old Girl Underneath the Willits Arch
![The Famous Willits Arch [Photograph from Eric Lee Burch]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/324984513_480259654278501_4308559428078039472_n.png)
The Willits Arch. [Photograph from Eric Lee Burch]
Willits Police Chief Fabian Lizarraga told us the girl was on the west side of Main Street near the famous Willits’ Arch when she darted out into the northbound lane. A vehicle traveling approximately 10 miles/hour struck her and knocked her to the ground.
Chief Lizarraga said the momentum from being knocked to the ground forced the girl to roll underneath another car that did not strike her.
As first responders secured the scene, the girl’s parents arrived. After being checked for injuries, she was transported to Howard Memorial for care.
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A 12 year old should know better. That’s a very dangerous area to run across. Glad she’s ok!
I was 2 cars behind the truck that hit her. I pulled into Safeway lot and parked. There were lots of people around the girl who was laying on her back mostly under the truck when I got there. I only saw blood on her arm, but someone was stabilizing her head with their hands. The were talking about pulling her out and I told them not to move her until the emts get there. I ran to the back of the scene and started to slow and divert traffic until CHP came and blocked both lanes. Fire was on scene in less than 5 minutes.
There was a different accident about 20 minutes before elsewhere fire had just responded to, and then they were racing through town with more to deal with around 2:30.
I had just left the hospital with my mother who fell down the stairs and broke 3 ribs.
101 was half blocked with down trees and power lines North of Willits on or way there this morning.
Pouring rain and tons of water on the roads and people driving too fast. If you don’t need to be out in these storms stay home, or if you need to be out and about slow down and expect hazards of some kind.
It’s a really rough spot to cross at. People talk about it all the time why don’t they use the crosswalks at the highway 20 intersection etc etc. Many many people have been injured trying to cross past the crosswalk intersection. This has been multiple times that people have been hit between the Willits sign and the railroad tracks. There needs to be another crosswalk that is a lighted one placed in this area. How many people have to get hit before they wake up and do a little proactiveness?
Cal Trans recently installed a crossing, similar to what I hear you suggesting, by the Broadway Cinemas in Eureka. Has flashing overhead lights to alert motorists that a pedestrian may be in the (new) crosswalk. So yes, there are models that are viable and currently being offered in the right circumstances. Guess you should lobby local officials if you want to make it happen.
Has anyone ever seen someone using this new safety crossing? As with the rest of the crosswalks on Broadway, people seem to prefer crossing 50-100 feet one side or the other.
I recall seeing the lights flashing at the crossing by Broadway Cinema, which indicates someone is wanting to, is or did cross. Don’t recall if there was actually a pedestrian. And of course those lights are timed to accommodate a slow moving person so he /she / they could have been well across it when I came upon those lights.
I’ve seen multiple people use it and even stopped, along with multiple vehicles in both directions, to allow someone to cross.
It hasn’t eliminated the eureka frogger freaks, but it’s definitely being used
They are not designed to replace common sense. I hate to be blunt, but sometimes drivers don’t always see pedestrians. I have heard of at least two people killed in these so called ‘Safe’ crosswalks. I assume an approaching car does NOT see me, until I see it slowing down.
There is already a crosswalk just like that in willits, right at McDonald’s. Maybe Safeway could pitch in and make the 20 interchange area a bit safer
These crosswalks can instill an overconfidence in the unsuspecting. There have been people killed in these types of crosswalks, because they think the approaching vehicle(s) will stop, when they do not.
These crosswalks do NOT replace common sense.
I always look before crossing. If I cannot cross before an approaching vehicle will reach me, I don’t cross. I also try to get eye contact. Sometimes I will just run across, if it is safe to do so.
I’m glad she will recover. I hope she looks both ways in the future. Everyone should drive slower in a small rural town. A serious accident could be worse due to the wait for emergency services to arrive.
If she has good parents and home environment, I am guessing she will be especially careful crossing the street for some time to come.
Both hands on the wheel. Ready for anything: a darting child, grandma and grandpa out for a walk, a neighborhood pet running with the wind.
10 mph is pretty slow. Glad she’s okay.
I was drinking a coffee down the street from the fire station when this happened. Based on the sheer number of vehicles racing by with sirens wailing, the people at the next table were speculating that it was a massive pile-up on the Willits bypass. Glad to learn that it was something comparatively minor.
Light up the sidewalk ASAP…
Or teach kids to do the right thing.
It was 1 in the afternoon, probably rainy. It would have been a 30 second walk to the corner where all the stop lights are.
That young girl I hope has learned her lesson on darting out into the street with vehicle traffic present. She could have easily been killed even though the traffic was only going 10 MPH. If she had gone under the vehicle, it could have been a tragic outcome. Thank you to the driver that was going slow. But the bottom line is she is going to be fine and that’s what really matters. Please be safe from now on young lady.