By Peter Day
Two days after Christmas, Monica Duboise, 35, walked across the busy section of Main Street in Hesperia and was killed when a San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy was responding to a burglary-in-progress call.
News of the tragedy didn't surprise me.
As a former resident of Hesperia, several times I thought to myself, "Somebody's going to get killed here" while driving through that section of Main Street. Jaywalking is commonplace from 5th Avenue eastward to the bridge. In Duboise's case, she wasn't in a crosswalk, despite one being nearby.
I wouldn't be surprised if a similar tragedy happens here in Lucerne Valley. In fact, since I have been with the Leader, two pedestrian deaths have occurred in town. One man was killed walking across Highway 18 near Custer. Later, a man walked across the increasingly busy section where Highway 18 and Old Woman Springs Road intersect and was hit and killed in front of the former Y Saloon.
But there is a big difference between the Hesperia pedestrian fatality and Lucerne Valley's two: There are no crosswalks in Lucerne Valley, at least none that come to mind. Jaywalking is a crime, but here there literally is no choice.
Sometimes I walk from the Leader office in the Lucerne Valley Shopping Center located in the 32000 block of Old Woman Springs Road. But when I do I know that there is a certain amount of risk. Walking westward on the north side of the highway, a pedestrian hits a bottleneck at the small bridge. Cars, and huge, monstrously heavy trucks often carrying cement products, whiz by.
Several times I have seen pedestrians walking in the dark across the bridge to the new Dollar General store.
Many residents in Lucerne Valley walk rather than drive, and we have a noticeable number of street people, both those who are homeless and others just getting from point A to point B.
To all the pedestrians in town: Walk carefully and where light-colored clothing (better yet, an orange neon vest) at night. And to all the drivers: be alert, slow down when you get into town, and watch out for people walking.
A pedestrian's death is not something you would want on your conscience.
Peter Day is senior reporter of the Lucerne Valley Leader.