Thursday, August 16, 2007

Twenty-Six Years

In some ways it seems like forever; in other ways it seems like only yesterday…

Today is the twenty-sixth anniversary of the day that Debbie and I were married. I really can just barely remember my life before I met her, and yet my memories of even our earliest times together are fresh and vivid.

Happy day!

Pedestrian Killed in Jamul

Update and bump (again):

Here's a tiny bit more information now, courtesy of NBC San Diego:
A pedestrian was killed Monday morning following a chain-reaction crash in Jamul, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The fatal accident happened along state Route 94 west of Lyons Valley Road around 5:45 a.m.

According to the CHP, Aleta Gaskins, 47 of Dulzura, was heading westbound on state Route 94 when she noticed a group of pedestrians who had crossed the road. As she slowed her Ford Escort to an estimated 45 to 50 mph, another person tried to cross in front of her, officials said. The man paused, then continued directly in front of the Escort. Gaskins immediately braked, but struck the man, who landed on her windshield, the CHP said.

At that moment, Gaskins was struck from behind by a sport utility vehicle, driven by a 17-year-old from Jamul, according to officials. The force of the second impact forced the man to be thrown from the windshield onto the pavement.

The victim, a 21-year-old unidentified man, from Mira Mesa, was taken via air ambulance to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where he died.

Update and bump:

There a bit more information now, courtesy of the San Diego Union-Tribune:

A 21-year-old man crossing an East County highway died Monday morning after he was hit by a Ford Escort station wagon, authorities said.

The pedestrian was on state Route 94 just west of Lyons Valley Road about 5:45 a.m. when he was hit by a car driven by a 47-year-old woman from Dulzura who was heading west, California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Pennings said.

The man, who was a resident of Mira Mesa, was not immediately identified.

The motorist told authorities that she saw a group of people cross the road in front of her and then she saw another man crossing behind them, Pennings said.

When the last pedestrian saw her, he stopped on the double-yellow line and then he crossed right in front of her, Pennings said.

The woman was unable to avoid hitting him and he was thrown onto the hood of the car.

As the woman braked, she was hit from behind by a GMC Sonoma being driven by a 17-year-old girl from Jamul. The impact threw the man from the car onto the pavement, Pennings said.

Medics treated him and he was flown to a hospital, where he died a short while later, Pennings said.

The woman driving the Escort complained of pain. The girl in the GMC truck was not injured.

Both the east and westbound lanes of the highway were shut down briefly while authorities investigated .

The CHP said the man was not an illegal immigrant and that the Border Patrol was not involved.

Original Post:

I know almost nothing about this, just what I saw in the news this morning:
Two vehicles struck and fatally injured a pedestrian on a stretch of highway in East County, 10News reported. The accident occurred on westbound State Route 94, west of Lyons Valley Road, shortly after 5:45 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
It was not immediately clear what caused the accident or why the pedestrian was on the highway lanes.
If you have any further information, please leave it in the comments…