Girls’ Basketball team rallies to beat traffic issue
Car accident that hospitalized teammate pushed team to draft petition to get Colton City Council to make dangerous intersection safer
Reyna Chavez is surrounded by her loving teammates after the basketball game vs. San Gorgonio on Jan. 27.
Colton, CA—On the evening of January 24, right after basketball practice, senior Reyna Chavez walked home from the Hubbs Gym just like any other night. Her route included using the crosswalk connecting North Rancho Avenue and W E Street.
She didn’t make it home that night.
We just want to make sure no one else gets hit, or hurt, or injured . . . or traumatized.
— Itaty Morales, Grade 12
A car sped through the area, as they usually do throughout the school day, and struck Reyna. Her teammates saw the accident and immediately ran to the scene, calling both 9-1-1 and for Reyna’s parents. Her parents, who live close to the school, heard the collision and what they described as a “yelp,” prompting them to run out into the street to help. The girls carried Reyna back to the Hubbs and waited with her until the ambulance arrived.
Reyna suffered multiple injuries. A broken nose. A fractured ankle. Road rash. And those are just the physical ones. It is unclear what emotional injuries will follow.
Just as they do on the court, Reyna’s teammates have her back off it as well. At tonight’s basketball game, they shared a petition to request the Colton City Council to install either warning lights, or a stop sign at the crosswalk on North Rancho in order to reduce traffic speed.
“This crosswalk is frequently used by Colton High School students to walk to and from school, sports, or other school events,” the team stated in their petition.
“I’m hoping to get lights,” said senior Natali Caceres. “Anything that can help because everytime I walk, whenever I’m right there [at the crosswalk] standing, all the cars, they don’t want to stop. Even when I’m halfway [across the street] they speed even though they see me and just curve it so they don’t hit me.”
Itaty Morales is a vocal leader on the girls’ basketball team, and she is passionate about seeking this change for personal reasons.
“We decided to get political because this isn’t the first time someone has gotten hit,” Morales said. When she was a freshman, one of her friends was killed after being hit by a car on a different street in Colton that did not have proper reflector lights after dark.
“We just want to make sure no one else gets hit, or hurt, or injured . . . or traumatized.”
Everytime I walk, whenever I’m right there [at the crosswalk] standing, all the cars, they don’t want to stop.
— Natali Caceres, Grade 12
The need for improved speed signs, or reflective lights on the street has been addressed with City Council before, and they have indicated their desire to make the improvements.
“There has definitely been funding allocated towards that crosswalk,” said Ernest Cisneros, Mayor Pro Tem for District 2. “Plus others on Rancho, to illuminate them.”
Why there have been no improvements, despite allocated funds, is something the girls on the Colton High basketball team will be interested in finding out.
The Lady Yellowjackets intend to bring their petition and request before the Colton City Council at its next meeting on February 1 at 5 p.m.
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