This accident was right in the intersection outside of Islands and Kohls, across from the mall. It was horrifying, and could have been prevented. Our kids are still upset about witnessing it. If the city had closed down Valencia Blvd, at least down to one lane, and employed traffic control- this accident would have never happened.
Our prayers are with the families involved.

I was standing about 25 feet from this accident. The vehicles involved were a Dodge Durango and an Infinity. There were no Sheriff's vehicles involved in the accident. I had been on the corner where the people were hit about 2 to 3 minutes before the accident happened. I am very shook up by what I witnessed and am praying for all involved.

(SANTA CLARITA - BLUE12- 470.487) UPDATE: COMMAND/INCIDENT COMMANDER NOW REQUESTING A COPTER FOR THE CRITICAL VICTIM, LANDING ZONE @ COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS [ILL113]
MAJOR ACCIDENT
07/04/10 22:08 (SANTA CLARITA - BLUE12- 470.487) VEHICLE VS 6 PEDESTRIANS AFTER THE TOWNE CENTER FIREWORKS, 1 DEAD ON ARRIVAL/DECEASED, 1 CRITICAL, 4 MINOR INJS, FIRE DEPARTMENT ON SCENE [ILL113]

CITY OF SANTA CLARITA....The streets around major events need to be closed when there are going to be a lot of pedestrians!!!!! This was one of the worst things my family has ever whitnessed. I will never ever forget what I saw this evening and I can only hope we did a good enough job of shielding our kids from the aftermath. I pray for the poor person who lost his/her life and for those injured. And for those that didn't think twice about their own safety when they rushed in to help....you all are heros and probably saved others from injury or death. I wish I could erase this evening from my memory.

Markari- SERIOUSLY? It's been two hours, we don't know all the details and your gut reaction is to blame the city first? Not the driver? The event has gone off smoothly for years right? I don't remember an accident like this before have you? So this is the first in what .... 15 years or something and it's the citys fault. How about the DRIVER?

What about the fact that thousands of cars passed through that section today safely .... Execpt one driver. Why don't you wait just a tad bit longer before you start blaming.

The sad part is my family and I were parked by Whole Foods this evening and were shocked at how fast and careless some people were driving through a packed parking lot. All it takes is one careless mistake and there were innocents on the sidewalk or in front of their vehicles waiting for the fireworks. People need to heed the fact that all it takes is one error in judgement to end either their own, or someone elses life. While it is easy for us to observe the traffic control aspect, there are other ones such as speed limits and red lights that too many of us ignore on a daily basis. We need to police ourselves and loved ones up and slow down as a society.
My prayers go out to those so affected by this tragedy :o(

What a horrific ending to a wonderful family evening! After witnessing this accident from the opposite corner... it makes you pause to think just how precious life is and just how quickly that can be taken from us. Watching how quickly the bystanders moved the car off of the victims was amazing. Our city does a wonderful job of putting on this firework show for us and my family has enjoyed it for years, however, after tonight I would have to question the wisdom of leaving the roads open surrounding this event... at least during the fireworks show which could be distracting to the drivers. I will be praying for the families and all involved.

concernedcitizens

It was a woman who passed away unfortunately. People were trying to bring her back, giving her CPR but she was in bad shape and to be honest probably died on impact. I helped move the car off the sidewalk/light pole to the street. One of the kids I saw was pinned and had injured his left leg. It also turns out that at least two of the injured were her kids, though her husband (who was a mess) and her older child were not injured.

SCVfan, Shut up!
I was there (along with hundreds of eyewitnesses), and I would never for one minute start pointing fingers without justification.
You may not know the facts, but I know with certainty that the city is to blame for not closing that street to traffic at that moment.
The collision happened DURING the fireworks show, about a minute before the finale began. If there had been traffic control during the show there would not have been such a tragedy. Yes, it was a lack of foresight on the city's behalf. They owed a duty to the citizens that were attending the show tonight. (Put on by Newhall Land traditionally), and they could have prevented this particular incident by just stopping distracted drivers from driving around those if us that were there.

SCVSoldier, you are so right, everyone that rushed in to help are indeed heroes.
Our heart goes out to the woman who passed, her children who were injured, and everyone who was affected.

Please!! Once again someone wanting to blame someone else for their or someone else's actions. People need to take responsibility for their own actions. I feel sorry for that family but I certainly would not blame the city. I think anyone who files a friviouls lawsuit should pay the costs of the court.

The City is in a no-win situation here. If they close the streets, they get people complaining, just like they did during the Tour of California bike race. Valencia blvd and Magic Mountain Pkwy are two major streets in this part of town. If they don't, we got to find out. Maybe the city needs to re-visit the idea of closing the roads, but, to blame the city for this is just plain stupid. My heart goes out to this family. All they were doing was enjoying a fun family outing, until the actions of one idiot behind the wheel of a car, changed their lives, forever.

The city can not shut down that street or McBean due to the fact that it leads to the Hospital. The only way to shut it down is to divert all traffic except emergency traffic around the area. At least the city could of had the traffic dirrected at the lights that they shut off. My family had a difficult time getting accross the street at the Kohls corner due to the fact that the traffic lights were turned off and you could not cross the street under the protection of the light.

But the reports are now coming out that she was an idiot woman distracted and ran a red light. You can't prevent that kind of woman from driving into a crowd. If lawsuits come from this it's likely the city will cancel the show entirely next year. And i hope they do. Paying for frivolous lawsuits and expensive shows don't mix.

We should be angry at the DRIVER people.

We shouldn't pass judgment on whose at fault until we hear all the facts. People are quick to assume and immediately jump to lawsuits. We should be more concerned about the injured families and all the kids who had to witness this. It truly sad, but this an example why I stay home on holidays such as this.

While I do not know if this could have even been prevented, the city has always put very little effort into traffic control.

I am amazed every year at people zooming into the parking lots in the middle of the show, trying to find a spot to watch the fireworks. By then, all the parking lot lights are out as they drive up and down aisles (sometimes with their high beams on) blinding everyone watching the show.

A perimeter needs to be set up around the area. After a certain time, no more cars are allowed inside. They do it for the parade, they can do it here as well.

After the show, getting out of there is always a mess. There needs to be a traffic control person at every intersection surrounding the mall. They can then coordinate the throngs of people crossing the street and cars trying to get out of there at the same time. Right now, it's a free for all.

I'm not pointing blame for the accident, but really the city needs to do a better job with this. I've been to smaller events in LA city and they have traffic control folks directing traffic.

Most large events such as this require the promoter or sponsor to supply sufficient traffic control. I have been consistently astounded at the huge events which occur in the City while traffic signal timing usually reserved for normal traffic remains unchanged, intersections remain devoid of human control, egress from the event takes hours and there is no consideration given whatsoever for how to move 20,000 people out of a venue at one time.

I don't "blame" the city legally. But it seems beyond debate that the cost of a show like this or an event that draws crowds like this should simply and automatically include proper traffic control (like stadiums, auditoriums, the hywd bowl, the Greek Theater etc. etc.)

with 22 years law enforcement experience, I frankly admit that not closing McBean Pkwy was unbelievably negligent. We all feel terrible for that family. But I'm angry at the City for this inexcusable ignorance. So many families peacefully sitting on blankets and chairs coupled with the distraction of fireworks along a major street was this tragedy waiting to happen. Please write to Sheriff Lee Baca and City Manager Mr. Ken Pulskamp and demand better judgment and decision making when these events take place.

Why can't this event be set up at Central park with city busses used to shuffle folks from mall parking.?

For the people who think that the city just can't block off traffic....you're wrong. Think this through. The city DOES block off that area- when it suits them.
As for frivolous lawsuits? I am a law student- I know very clearly what "frivolous" means, and neglecting the safety of the public is hsrdly frivolous.
Absolutely- the distracted driver that pushed the other car into the crowd is to be blamed as well, but there would not have been traffic to cause an accident if that street had been blocked off.
You'd be singing a different tune if that was your wife, sister, mother that was killed...or that 12 year old boy that may not make it.
More than anything, we are praying for everyone involved.

My heart goes out to everyone involved in this tragic accident, including the driver. She will certainly live with incredible guilt the rest of her life.

I don't fault the city for not closing the street; the fact is that accidents happen, even in broad daylight. Sitting or standing in close proximity to swiftly moving traffic is risky. On a holiday, in a crowded venue, when people have been partying, it is even riskier. While I'm sure the city could do a better job at traffic control, they cannot ensure everyone's safety at all times under all circumstances. Death is a fact of life, as much as it is painful and unpleasant to admit. You can slip in the shower and die. You can choke on a sandwich and die. You can sit on a sidewalk and be hit by a car.

markari:you are not a very smart person. scvfan:I completely agree with you. It is not at all the cities fault. Was the city driving the car that crashed? No. There was a person driving through a street that was crowded why wouldn't that person take the percautions when driving down that street? I was there for the show and it was a mad house people running across the street in fron of cars but guess what....I drove slow and was a defensive driver. That is what that person should have done. The city did it's best to close down streets and have extra sheriffs. Each person is responsible for their actions and the consequences that come from their actions. This is a horrible thing that happened but you can't blame outside people for one person.

Thanks for your observations healthcareworker.
That person could not have taken any more "percautions" she was sitting still, waiting to turn into the parking lot.
If there were no traffic, there wouldn't have been an accident. Period. Read the other comments (from law enforcement, etc) here that agree with me and my ignorance.
This accident happened because of many people, not just one person.
From where we were sitting, there weren't people running willy-nilly across the street, and the people that the car landed on were not negligent, they were just trying to enjoy the show.
The city did not do it's best to close down streets and there were no sheriff's patrolling on foot, or controlling traffic or pedestrians in that area.
I don't really care how many more people come in and berate me for feeling so strongly.... I know that if it were your family involved, you would be singing another tune.

If you have ever gone to shows (be they firework or other events) in the City of Los Angeles or elsewhere, there is a clear attempt made by city agencies to exert some degree of control and protection over the general public through various methods; traffic calming and control is always one of these methods. Every 4th of July the Valencia Mall, surrounding streets and adjacent parking lots become a temporary venue/event space and should be treated as such. While not fully at fault for last night’s tragedy, it is clear that the City of Santa Clarita failed to adequately prepare for such an event and enact necessary measures to provide citizens with a safe and pedestrian friendly environment.
My heart goes out to those involved in this terrible indecent and hope that the City of Santa Clarita, the Sheriffs Dept., Event Sponsors and community members respond appropriately and compassionately so as to better serve our City.

City of Santa Clarita contact info:
(661) 259-CITY | (661) 259-2489 | Fax: (661) 259-8125 | 23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 300 Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Local Sherriff contact info:
http://scvsheriff.com/about_contacts.asp

I was one of the first people on scene of this accident i helped push the car and I also helped give cpr...My heart goes out to these families i cant eat i cant sleep this all just keeps replaying in my head...

We were also at the mall entrance for the fireworks show last night. We heard the crash, screams, and aftermath. Prior to the accident happening, we were concerned about the amount of vehicle activity during the fireworks show, pedestrians walking, running..... we were thinking that the chaos was an accident waiting to happen.... and then sadly, it did.
I do not want to put blame on any one factor. The bottom line is that crowds, traffic, and a huge distraction.... like fireworks, make the potential for tragedy.
We have lived for years within walking distance of the Rose Parade in Pasedena. Traffic is systematically stopped in all directions as the parade consumes sections of the city... then it resumes. It seems like during the actual fireworks show ( 45 minutes or so) traffic all around the mall area could be stopped. We were very concerned about the amount of traffic still entering the mall parking area during the actual show.
The fireworks is a wonderful show and great highlight of our life in Santa Clarita. The city has done a wonderful job and I know will restructure things to create a safer venue for next year.

Let’s see-
How do municipalities who care about their citizens (and also care about avoiding lawsuits) around the country handle safety precautions for the celebration of Fourth of July and other events?


Here are just two examples.


July 2, 2010
Police will be conducting traffic control at fireworks display
By Cass Rains, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

http ://enidnews.com/localnews/x657353715/Police-will-be-conducting-traffic-control-at-fireworks-display
Remove space after http when copying url

and

http ://www.houstontx.gov/specialevents/faq.html
Remove space after http when copying url

Do I need to provide police officers for my event?
Yes. Certified peace officers must be hired by the event producer for crowd and traffic control, based on the scope of the event and the projected attendance. If your event requires a street closure, certified peace officers must be located at each street closing for the duration of your event, including load-in and load-out. You will be required to provide a security plan detailing the deployment of officers for both crowd and traffic control. This document must be approved by the Houston Police Department Special Operations Division. Your event coordinator will have more information.

This is probably the biggest story this weekend in Santa Clarita, and we have to rely on other news sources for the developments? Isn't the Signal our News source? People at the Signal should be cranking away, getting city officials comments, updating the condition of those injured, posting ways the community can help.

As for the Sheriff's office in Santa Clarita, I have my issues with them, they don't seem to be very responsive to the community. And seem lacking in the powers of anticipation. After all is said and done re: this tragic accident (may well be criminal) we might want to reopen the case for standing up our own Police department.

My prayers are with the family. The Signal staff, start cranking and lead the way.

I agree with "momof2" - we were also on the street, and had similar concerns just before the fireworks started (We were across the street, on the mall side, but also too close to traffic). I agree that traffic should be stopped ALL around the mall area, just for a short amount of time (like 9pm until 10pm) During that hour, pedestrians and drivers alike are distracted by the crowds and the fireworks themselves. I'm not going to blame the city for what happened this year, but would like the city to step up next year.

I listen to all of this and it is like a broken record...this incident will not do anything but ranckle the feathers of a few and it will be forgotten. This city is and ALWAYS HAS BEEN ABHORRENT when it comes to traffic control, the traffic engineers as they so call themselves are clueless. But to that I say, look at all the finger pointing going on, you want to know whats wrong with traffic control in this community ? Get up and take a long hard look in the mirror, this community is one of the worst driving communities around, still on cell phones, running reds, texting, SPEEDING. Last night was a tragedy, a preventable one, a check will be written and it will be over....the question is....will it ever really change ??

and for the love of god, will someone PLEASE get a person with some sense of journalistic protocol to take over at the Signal. ANOTHER erroneous report by a reporter there who posted last evening "Sheriff's Patrol vehicle involved in fatal crash", this was not true, it was never true, there was not a single witness who ever mentioned it. This was exploitation of a tragedy and the only media outlet to report this was our own, way to go Signal, that will keep the Sheriff's Dept happy with you, and I love the fix this morning, apparently the report was an error....no kidding ??

I've been reading everyone comments about the terrible accident last night,but the bottom line is the driver running the red light. You could do all the preventions you want. But you can't stop a driver from being impatience, with the only thing on his/her mind is to go! I'm sure we've all have gone through red lights thinking the same thing. Is life worth a few extra seconds?

What a terrible tragedy. My heart goes out to those who's lives are now forever changed. It could have been me or you, and it could have been your daughter behind the wheel that made that terrible mistake that will probably ruin her life as well as the people who were struck. The lesson here is that each of us that operates a motor vehicle has an enormous responsibility. These 2 ton metal boxes on wheels that we pilot around pedestrians and other vehicles each time we leave our homes are responsible for countless accidents that could have been avoided every single day. As parents we should make sure our daughters and sons realize the possible tragedies of allowing yourself to be distracted by phone calls, texting, looking at fireworks, looking at accidents, etc
I'm sure the driver wishes she could have those 10 seconds back again to focus on her driving and the people near her vehicle that she ran over. Let's all try to focus a little more while driving around town.....put down your phone, your coffee and pay attention to what you are doing, it's deadly serious.

Busman, the red light is questionable, and there was no hurry. The fireworks were a huge distraction. In my opinion, it was inexperience and lack of prevention...

busman18761

I wonder what (if anything) may have contributed to the driver's running through the red light.

Was the driver driving a car with faulty brakes?
Was the driver in an emotional state of rage while driving?
Was the driver in a mad rush to get somewhere?
Was the driver on a cell phone talking or texting?
Was the driver a little tipsy or high on something ?
Was the driver distracted by lights and sounds of firecrackers?

Who knows.

mrw2161,
The problem is beyond traffic control and engineering and really points toward auto-centric planning that leaves the pedestrian and cyclist at the mercy of autos. To stay on point though, if there are going to be streets with (at the point of the accident) 8 lanes of traffic traveling @ 50mph and thousands of spectators lining them then the city and event holders must provide some sort of traffic calming or control intervention for the event. It is not a frivolous request or expectation. I do agree however that some people do need to re-consider their own actions and habits while driving as well...

...the bottom line is not the driver running the red light, since accidents due in fact happen anywhere, but rather that spectators last night should have been accommodated with the necessary services to make sidewalks and streets better suited for their safe use during the event. Their were none. Valencia Boulevard was wide open at that spot with no changes to regular traffic control patterns when the city and event holders new full well the number of persons who regularly attend this event. Streets should have been prepared for a successful special event.

I am not at all saying that the driver running the red light isn't at fault, they certainly due take on all the rules and responsibilities of the road.

This is a horrible tragedy. These children have lost their mom. Why? Because of a senseless act. I DON'T feel the city is to blame. Could they have done more? Probably, but there were pedestrians everywhere! McBean, Valencia, Magic Mtn Pkwy, Creekside, etc. if they blocked off all the streets where would anyone park? Blocking off the streets is not the ultimate solution. People need to understand that when a person gets behind the wheel of a car, they're driving a deadly weapon and ultimately THE DRIVER is responsible for their actions behind the wheel, not the city they're driving in. Santa Monica took all the precautions it could, but yet it was the DRIVER who killed all of those innocent people in July of 2003. This girl ran a red light. Who do you think the the Sheriff's Department is going to find at fault when they complete their investigation? The city? I don't think so. It was the girl who ran the light. If she hadn't run that light, this wouldn't have happened. Drivers need to pay attention to their surroundings, put down their cell phones and slow down! The ending to this story is sad and it didn't have to happen. Driving is a privelage, not a right and it needs to be respected. My heart and my prayers go out to the Gamica family.

We're all praying for everyone injured.. me n my family were standing in front of islands were this accident happen.. i heard theres different story that happen.. what we saw was infinity was going straight (speeding) while the suv (durango) was trying to make a left turn.. durango hit the infinit on the tail causing it to tailspin and hit the people on the crosswalk.. driver of the suv was young man..

My prayers go out to this family! May the almighty grant them comfort and watch after the family.

As for the driver, if it was a drunk the big house for life. If she was texting, then our police must enforce the laws instead of looking the other way all the time!!!

Cars travelling at posted speed limits while people are sitting along the curb of the traveled roadway, clearly does not make sense. The root cause for the accident may be clear, but the result belongs to the city, the driver and individuals that put themselves in harms way. My prayers go out to the families impacted by the terrible event.

I SERIOUSLY hope the city abandons the whole thing next year. The residents don't deserve the hard work that goes into it. It costs a crap-load of money and clearly it's a no win situation.

As far as the city's liability, when it's a city sponsored event (whether jointly with Newhall Land and Westfield Mall), the risk management must plan for every "worst case scenario." Clearly the worst case scenario of any car careening into people sitting 12 inches from the curb for ANY reason, NEVER crossed the city's mind, hence the lack of safety PRE-cautions taken on behalf of the citizens' safety and well-being. As an eyewitness sitting on Islands' front porch with my two children and hubby, who had to help remove the car and stare into the faces of the injured, the lack of FORETHOUGHT and PLANNING resulted in a tragedy uncalled for. We remain in total and complete shock at what we witnessed and are praying ceaselessly for those directly affected.

I've been in law enforcement over 15 years, directed and managed traffic at countless events (many smaller than this) and was too scared to sit anywhere near the streets that are more like freeways around here. Did anyone there notice the Sheriff deputies (about 10-15 of them) all arrived at exactly the same time (5 minutes after the crash) and all came from the same direction? That's because they were all hanging out at their station watching the fireworks together. You
don't need to shut down all the roads completely. Why didn't they have at least one deputy standing out of their car with the Did anyone there notice the Sheriff deputies (about 10 of them) all arrived at exactly the same time (5 minutes after the crash) and all came from the same direction? That's because they were all hanging out at their station watching the fireworks together. Why didn't they have at least one deputy standing out of their car with the emergency lights on at each of the major affected intersections as a visual deterrent during the show? People slow down, stop for red lights and they don't dart across the busy street like so many did before, during and after the event. With thousands of people lining the busy valencia streets where people drive 60-70 mph (also because the sheriff's dept. aren't out there enforcing traffic laws) you need to have at least one deputy assigned to each intersection to prevent this type of thing! Poor family! My heart goes out to them! across the busy street like so many did before, during and after the event when they see black and whites around. There were no deputies in sight in the minutes before, or during the show which is completely inexcusable during an event this size! With thousands of people lining the busy valencia streets where people drive 60-70 mph (also because the sheriff's dept. aren't out there enforcing traffic laws enough) you need to have at least one deputy assigned to each affected intersection to prevent this type of thing! Not one deputy at McBean and Valencia or at the mall entrence where this happened? Poor planning and unacceptable! This driver may feel terrible for the rest of her life but when you break the law by running a red light resulting in death and mayhem, you need to be charged with vehicular manslaughter. Thats the law and I hope the LASD can figure that out. Poor family! My heart goes out to them!

This is an unfortunate tragedy.

I know the fireworks show has been going on for the past 15 years and there hasnt been an incident in the past. So Im assuming as they have done in past years is never close Valencia Blvd. I’m sure this will cause officials to review that policy. I’m sure City officials have a special event plan, why would McBean Parkway be closed every year?

My guess is that the City wants to keep as many streets as open as possible while using the least amount of deputies and keeping costs to a minimum.

Alot of places charges for fireworks show. Maybe the City should start charging fees for viewing. That would allow them to use more deputies and have more street crews. But then you would have issues with people avoiding fees and going around the mall to camp out.

Or if the City wants to keep street closures to a minimum, then maybe they need to ban people from sitting at sidewalks along streets such as Valencia that will remain open and designate streets such as McBean or Citrus that will be closed for pedestrians to sit on the sidewalk. Or the City could cancel the show all together.

I’m sure something will change next year. And I’m sure there will be outrage from some group whether it be people complaining that more streets are closed, charging for fees, or cancelling the show altogether.

this broke my heart. i was there last night with my sister and bf and we where about 15 people away my heart literally sank when the accident happened. I went running over to help in any way possible, and in reality all i got where nightmares. I'm completely shaken by this tragedy and i don't think the city is to blame, it's the driver. Part of having a car is being responsible enough to not make careless decisions such as running a red light. I think a 2 minute wait is much better then taking a moms life forever. This is horrible and i am very sad for the family. People need to be more careful when they drive, and also more aware of their surroundings, no one could have prevented this except the driver who ran the red light. Sad but true.

Well me and my friend were a witness two of the kids were our best friends
They are fine but still hurt about one of the kids mom that sadly died
one of the girls lost some of her memory and when she woke up she thought she was at camping ...the othr kid he hurt his leg and his arm hes really hur about his mom. And the other kid got a surgery on the head!....We ask to please be respectful and not go to their house becus this really hurt them and they are going trough a really hard time! thank you

An unfortunate end to a night full of a**hattery. This woman was clearly watching the fireworks and not paying attention to her driving. Just as stupid as the stumblebum drunk who kicked his shoes off and hit my car while my family and I waited what seemed like an eternity to leave the Mall. Before that, watching clueless parents allow their children to park themselves on the curb near Johhny Rockets while clueless drivers nearly run them over. More...fireworks display workers giving conflicting information where pedestrians can and cannot walk. Another...the traffic "engineer" who cluelessly turned the traffic signal switch at Valencia and McBean into a blinking 4-way red light with jammed traffic at all four corners -- an accident waiting to happen. More..the moron (drunk no doubt) carrying his flagpole around just ready to nail someone in the head whenever he turned around. More..the silver Honda Odyssey minivan driver who drove in circles through the parking lot at full speed thinking he could magically get around all the other cars to leave. Let's not forget the idiot parents who neglected to clean up the huge mess of crushed food and cans their children made in the parking lot. Finally, all the Christians praying for this woman. Get a grip -- there is no God and praying does nothing. Get real Santa Clarita!

I saw plenty of sheriff's cars before and during the show. They were circling constantly. There were NONE however directing traffic.

To get home, we took the freeway and got off at McBean. At the intersection of The Old Road and McBean there were two highway patrol cars directing traffic from the Stevenson Ranch fireworks show. Apparently, the county had the foresight to employ traffic control methods, even this far away from the show.

I have lived in this valley since 1986, before we were even a city. From our crooked city council (Keller excluded) to the questionable things the city staff has done, I wonder what can be done to change things. The lack of traffic control is just another mistake we can add to the list.

"Did anyone there notice the Sheriff deputies (about 10 of them) all arrived at exactly the same time (5 minutes after the crash) and all came from the same direction? That's because they were all hanging out at their station watching the fireworks together. Why didn't they have at least one deputy standing out of their car with the emergency lights on at each of the major affected intersections as a visual deterrent during the show?"

I hope they do an investigation. Police presence would have definitely deterred this type of behaviour on the road, especially during a public event.

"Did anyone there notice the Sheriff deputies (about 10 of them) all arrived at exactly the same time (5 minutes after the crash) and all came from the same direction? That's because they were all hanging out at their station watching the fireworks together. Why didn't they have at least one deputy standing out of their car with the emergency lights on at each of the major affected intersections as a visual deterrent during the show?"

These are great questions that the Sheriff's Dept need to address and explain. I hope The Signal will follow through with all this information and do some good work out of this tragedy.

1) As with any major incident, people are quick to opine on what occurred, almost always without the benefit of all the facts. This only results in various factions or groups who insist their version of events is the "true" version.

2) Many good suggestions have already been offered in this comment section and some will surely be acted upon by the city. Eliminating the fireworks program is not one of them. If we canceled a particular event (car race, parade, football game etc.) because of an unusual occurrence we would live very dull lives indeed. Let's learn from such awful accidents and work to avoid them in the future.

3) I'd venture to guess that the deputies that apparently responded from the station were an on-coming shift that began at 10pm as well as several others that were coming in at the end of their shift.

4) As for TomTom22 and others spewing hyperbole, let the investigation run its course and determine what the facts are surrounding the entire incident.

5) Most importantly, let's provide the support and understanding that all involved parties deserve at the moment.

For all those commenting on the inconsiderate bad drivers that speed and run red lights, when’s the last time you saw a deputy sheriff shooting radar on Valencia Bl. or McBean? The key to effective traffic enforcement isn’t just the individual tickets being issued, it’s the hundreds of people who slow down after they drive by and see someone else getting the ticket. Enforcement of traffic laws is almost non-existent in most areas of this valley and it scares me to have my wife and kids driving around town here. Can we get the CHP to do traffic enforcement in the rest of the valley and not just Stevenson Ranch? I heard they were out of their cars directing traffic in Stevenson Ranch after the fireworks display there. Let LASD focus on the “real crimes” if they feel they’re above directing traffic or writing tickets.

Anyheading: Having a shift change with no law enforcement presence during this huge event is a GREAT excuse! Did they not know what time the event was going to start this year? Shifts can easily be adjusted in advance. What investigation? Do you think the LASD will be investigating their lack of planning or presence for this event?

This is what happens in a recession; city pay gets cut and then there is no man power the city can afford to protect us in an event like this. This is the economy and my advise stay home until this recession is over it is only going to get worst. We watched the Fireworks from the Balcony of our home because we knew a lot of people weren't going to leave town because they couldn't afford it and that means more trouble on the streets. The reasons why we probably never had a problem before was because most people are gone this time of the year out camping or at the beach. This again is what a recession does to the world! I live right next door heard the ambulance and the helicopter hovering but with all the fireworks noise did not hear the people therefore did not even know there was an accident until my neighbor told me why there was a helicopter and the next day saw the flowers. I pray for the family and for the person that ran the red light and the other car may he or she or them forgive them self for what they have done.

One more thing you have the Sheriff department and CHP and LAPD are you sure you are blaming the right dept? Who is in charge of what? Then you have the City Counsel who has to approve most events like this. Then you have the Mall who has insurance but it probably only covers if you were on there parking lot. Then you have The shopping center where the people were standing so now it is there territory. The shopping center should have had more security set up. At my condo across the street they had security walking around all night and I haven't seen those guys in ages., Therefore if we were smart enough to beef up security why didn't owner of Shopping where Khols is do the same. Don't blame the City in fact it is Owner of Shopping Center for not adding security for an event like this which I am sure most likely the city gave notice to that shopping center and they ignored it. :))

The Santa Clarita Sheriff's and Parking Enforcement love to cite parking tickets in our neighborhood, but seen to turn a blind eye on actual traffic problems. We had a similar incident in a park near our home, in which some teenage kids were racing, one hit the other, a car tailspins, jumps over the sidewalk and hits some younger trees. No injuries, except for a tree ran over. The driver a teenager was detained by neighbors, Sheriff's was called. I guess, since the only property damage was a county owned tree, they never bothered to show. So eventually, the mother of the teenager came to fetch her daughter, who called her via cell phone. The mother showed and had the audacity to yell at the good samaritans who affected a citizen's arrest on her daughter for driving recklessly. They left, Sheriff's never showed, teenager didn't learn her lesson, and we still have racing in our neighborhood. The only difference is that no one died, but some pedestrian could've easily been walking in park also.

Jane what is sad it's like this 10 have to die from someone race down the street before they will put up a stop sign. If everyone wants to put in there two cents they can join this club LAPD has and you can contact a guy name Bruce. Vtech i think is what it is called and basically the citizens help LAPD as volunteers to watch out for things like this and supports them. You learn a lot too. like the reason why they have to wait for ten is because possibly that stop sign might cause more death then ten. There are many physiological reasons why, that we don't know about and terrestrial reasons.

Camluv -

Perhaps you should complete a critical thinking course at our local college, or at the very least a basic English course, before posting comments here.

The fireworks show at the mall always attracts a big crowd. It seemed about the same as in years past to me. The recession has nothing to do with this.

All people saying they couldnt have closed down the road...incorrect. 1. They could have closed down the road to all BUT emergency vehicles so the way to the hospital was still accessable. 2. They closed down McBean did they not? 3. They would have only had to close it down a whole 15-30 minutes tops for the show, whereas they had it closed for over an hour investigating the accident.