Pedestrian Struck by Vehicle at Intersection

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, October 4, 1999

On Saturday, September 25, 1999, at 6:10 a.m., Ms. Jong Ye Lee, 71 years, was crossing the street southbound on Western Avenue at Olympic Boulevard when she was struck in the crosswalk by Party 1 Jae Hong Lee. Ms. Jong Ye Lee was transported to Cedar Sinai Hospital in critical condition with two broken legs, a fractured shoulder and facial trauma.

It is interesting to note that West Traffic Division conducted a JEEP (Jaywalking Education Enforcement Program) Task Force at the same intersection on Friday, September 24, 1999. During the three-hour pilot program involving the West Traffic Division Reserve Coordinator, five Technical Reserves, one West Traffic Division Bike Detail and two Wilshire Area Bike Detail Officers, 57 moving citations were issued to jaywalking violators.

Some of the violators expressed concerns that the officers were “wasting their time by issuing the citations for insignificant violations.” Obviously, there is a significant need for this type of traffic enforcement because many people in the community are unaware that approximately 50% of our traffic fatalities are related to pedestrians. The use of the bikes for this type of pedestrian detail offers an outstanding opportunity for the sworn and reserve officers to increase public safety.

The reserve officers for West Traffic Division work this type of detail every Saturday on a volunteer basis in the hope of increasing public safety and awareness of traffic safety issues. The 29 reserve officers assigned to West Traffic Division are actually the most active contingent of reserves in the City of Los Angeles.

At the time of this Press Release, Ms. Lee remains in critical condition at Cedar Sinai Hospital.

For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the Watch Commander of West Traffic Division at 213-473-0222, or Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.

For Release 7:00 am PST
October 4, 1999