Update: Predawn Crash
May Have Been Drag Race

The traffic dept really needs to do something about the speeds along this stretch of Yale and also on the hill heading down West Rock Avenue. I am unclear why we can't get some speed humps along these stretches like they have on Vista Terrace.

I hope that the City will do something to curb speeding and racing through our community VERY soon. Last month my neighbors and I were awoken by a very loud crashing sound and rushed out into the street because we just knew a serious accident had taken place. After searching for a while we couldn't find a vehicle and assumed a speeding car had taken off after hitting parked cars. It turns out that the speeding car had rammed into our neighbor's home. The impact was so severe that the car was embedded into the home as if it were creating a new garage!

Install the round-abouts like Woodward Ave. They work.

I doubt anyone was drag racing in those cars -- unless they souped the engines up. An easy way to check would be to look at the engine; a regular Toyota Camry is a nice car with plenty of power, but isn't going to be a drag racer's first choice.

I live on the Hamden side of West Rock, not far from Lake Wintergreen. I heard these guys from all the way over here at about 4:30.

Can't they build in some speed humps or something to alleviate this? This seems like something the West Rock alderman should be interested in already. If he's not, maybe that can be remedied.

New Haven has lots of low hanging fruit to pick - things that can be fixed quite easily and for little cost but that would seriously improve the quality of life here.

I realize this might not be important, but I think that "cross necklace" is what is actually called a rosary. I can't see well enough to count the beads to be sure, but it sure looks like a rosary, in which case: It's not merely a piece of jewelry.

I agree with "WestvilleWatch." Just look at the comments at http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/67319-dangerous-intersection-crazy-crashes and you'll see that the city is seriously neglecting its responsibilities here.

As always, I'd like to speak directly with concerned neighbors on this or any neighborhood issue.

@hmmm,

while these cars may not be a drag racer's first choice, when a high school kid wants to race they will use whatever car they have. I know: I've been there.

Nice! Steal cars, race them, crash, and then leaves someone to die while you run away. Let's hope the police take the time to fingerprint the cars and hunt this idiots down.

I'm so tired of drag racing, both car and motorcycle. I called the police last night because I got sick of hearing them. Didn't help. I say, install speed bumps on most residential roads. Why not?

That's not a cross necklace, those are Rosary Beads, a prayer aid used by Catholics when praying to Mother Mary.

A rosary is not a piece of jewelry at all. it is a string of prayer beads. traditionally, they are not worn and are not adornment at all. Madonna, the singer, wore them in the 80s.

In a stunning fit of anthropomorphism, I thought the necklace was just angry.

Agree with VD.

Yes those are Rosary beads. Not only does one recite a Hail Mary or two , but some Our Fathers as well. I doubt they belong to the speeders , maybe they belong to the owners of the vehicle used in this night rider esque race to the death ?

We need speed bumps all over this city just like they have in Chicago, and other cities. Speed bumps work and are a lot cheaper than fancy traffic circles.
Please join me in adding in this request everyday to See Click Fix!
This is the second accident in 6 months in which a stolen car was driven into Edgewood Park, the first incident involved a stolen van which ran off the road along West Park Street.

TWICE! in this article the scene of these accidents is described as being on a stretch of roadway "toward Forest Road." While not technically incorrect, in the broad sense that it might also be described as "toward Woodbridge," or "toward Pennsylvania," Yale Avenue really is nowhere near Forest Road. I think you mean something like "toward West Rock Avenue."

As I have been sorry to point out a number of times, the NHI sometimes does a less than satisfying job of describing the locations of things around town. Sigh.

[Ed.: Thanks for the feedback. The reason for that description: Yale Ave. swings west right at where that second vehicle swerved into the woods. It's that same bend where other accidents have occurred, and where drivers tend to drive quickly and lose the sight line. The bend suddenly points drivers west; given that it's a through street, it has become a cut-through for people heading west, and one of the quicker routes to Forest Road, which is the terminus/boundary of the Westville flats and a defining state road for destinations beyond the neighborhood. Long answer, and you certainly may be correct that that's not a satisfying explanation. Just wanted to tell you why it keeps getting defined that way here.]

The city is seriously, seriously dropping the ball on this. Jim Travers, care to comment? Is it going to take someone dying to fix this?

We don't need a long term solution that will come when funds are available. We need a solution, NOW.

Temporary traffic calmers exist. The city uses them all them time, such as the speed humps and tables on chaple street.

Just put them in and fix the problem. Why in the world isn't this being done?

Mr. Travers, or someone from the administration, if they are reading this article, I really do think that you should explain what is being done here.

It looks as if member(s)of the NHI received access into a crime scene. Unless the photos in the story were taken with a powerful zoom lens that just made it appear that the photographer was inside the crime scene.

Non-essential Law Enforcement and Fire/EMT personnel is not be allowed inside the scene; so why was the Media?

Agree with Pedro. What is being done?

I walked right into the "crime scene" too from west elm. Remember, Westville only has 3 to 4 police per shift. More access points than that into the "crime scene". Also note the runner entering the "crime scene".

[Note: The scene was quite close to the sidewalk, which was open to pedestrians and other neighbors traveling down the block or in and out of their houses.]

I think the NH!I, through it's photos, did a great job in showing and highlighting our emergency responders. The photos show just how dangerous the accident was and allow the reader to react and join in on insisting something be done to slow down the drivers. Instead of berating the police for allowing NHI to get these photos we should be glad the public's right to know was fulfilled by NHI and that the police did not infringe on that right. Great job!

Dave,
Another well written article. It was informative and the pictures (especially the cross - strong symbolism) and prior reference videos were very good.

It would be good to see a follow-up article on this as the story develops (latest condition of person found next to the Toyota and if those that fled were ever identified). In addition, what is being done about the dangerous stretch of road?

A cross necklace? Is this a joke? Doesn't anyone know what a rosary is anymore?

I have lived on this street for nearly 15 years. We and other neighbors have constantly complained about speeding and drag racing on our street for that entire time, to no avail. Despite the presence of an elementary school on this street, the city has turned a deaf ear to our concerns about traffic issues. Clearly city officials do not care about the safety of our neighbors and the children at Edgewood. I suspect that when someone is killed, perhaps a child at the school (the speeding is not confined to the dead of night) they will respond, though with much hand wringing about how they could not possibly be responsible for this neglect. I suggest that each of the candidates to repace Dildine step up and promise that this will be addressed. If they won't make that promise, they don't care about our children's safety. If they don't follow through and fix this hazard, the neighbors will make sure that they serve only one term. No more excuses!

A necklace is an article of jewellery which is worn around the neck. Necklaces are frequently formed from a metal jewellery chain, often attached to a locket or pendant. Necklaces can also be manufactured with cloth, and they sometimes contain rocks (particularly gems), wood, and/or shells with different shapes and sizes. (wikipedia)

Technically, the subtext under the rosary beeds picture "A cross necklace" is an accurate statement. While it is rosary beeds, it can be described as a cross necklace and be accurate.

I think the focus and emphasis on the rosary beeds subtext is enough. Call it what you want when you write your own article.

Does the first observer work for the DOT? If not, he or she should apply.

They just installed speed humps on Canner Street over in the East Rock neighborhood. And I see them in Westport and other towns. They work great. Seems like a really simple and cheap fix for high speed problem area's.

JMS

Alderman Dildine,

Why the unwillingness to make public comments recently?
I'm not in your neighborhood but my family is. It would be nice to know what you are doing and what your stance is. Posting a comment here saying that you would like to hear privately from your neighbors is like saying I'd like to talk about this stuff but I'm not confident about it enough to be on record.

to the above: yes speed humps are all over Fairfield County because they have traffic engineers who believe in creating places that people actually want to live and pay high house prices to do so, and believe in not have their kids be killed by a speeder.

John S, I agree that the topic at hand is far more important than the question of cross necklaces or not. It's just that a rosary is not jewellery or a necklace---it's an item that's held in the hands for assist a Catholic in praying to the Virgin Mary. It has no signficance or identity as jewelry. People don't wear it, they carry it. I'm old now (in my 50s) and I was simply shocked that people didn't know instantly what a rosary was. I was raised a Catholic and I grew up in the New Haven area and it seemed that everyone I knew would have known what a rosary looked like---Jewish kids, Protestant kids, atheists, or anybody. So I'm just catching up on today's fact that people don't know what a rosary is anymore. It's like cultural harvesting for me, like kids no longer knowing how to write or read script handwriting. That's all, my friend. Peace to you, and keep pointing out the stupidity in the world. We need it.

Such a senseless stupid act that cut a young life short. Rest in peace Doug...

GMG - While rosary beeds are held in the hand for prayer by practicing catholics, their are people that also wear the rosary around the neck. They may not use the rosary in the traditional sense (eg. signal of gang affiliation) but you can find the term rosary necklace sites in abundance on the web. I've listed a couple for your reference.

sinhttp://www.kingice.com/Rosary-Bead-Necklaces-100551.htmlce

www.rosarybeadsnecklace.com/Jersey-Shore-Rosary-Necklace.html

I suggested that this article is not about the rosary beads so I will make this my last comment.