Woman in wheelchair struck by car

The scene of an accident is busy as Lodi firefighters and American Medical Response crews tend to the victim. Sharon Boyd was struck by a car while she was in her electric wheelchair Thursday at the intersection of Walnut Street and Ham Lane. She was taken to the hospital by ground ambulance after sustaining injuries as Lodi police officers took statements and investigated the scene. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

Woman in wheelchair struck by car

Driver was unlicensed; accident focuses attention on busy Lodi intersection

By Maggie Creamer
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Friday, November 6, 2009 12:09 AM PST

Comments (10 comment(s))

Neighbors surrounding Ham Lane and Walnut Street were shaken up Thursday morning after a woman in her electric wheelchair was struck by a car at the corner of Ham Lane and Walnut Street.

The accident happened at around 11 a.m. when a car turning on to Ham struck 51-year-old Sharon Boyd, and the chair became wedged under the car. Boyd was in the crosswalk and heading east on Walnut, said Lodi motor officer Brian Freeman.

The driver of the car, an unlicensed 18-year-old, will likely be charged with a driving infraction of not yielding to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, Freeman said.

Boyd had lacerations on her head and an ambulance took her to Lodi Memorial Hospital. She was listed in serious condition with a couple of fractures and other complications, and was transferred to UC Davis, hospital spokeswoman Carol Farron said.

Boyd used to work at the hospital, and Farron said, "She means a lot to us."

Boyd spoke at a council meeting Oct. 21 about bus transportation cuts.

She had a brain tumor in 2006 that left her unable to walk and she had to retire from her job at the hospital. She is an active member of First Baptist Church.

Following the accident, Lodi police blocked off the intersection, interviewed witnesses and got the wheelchair out from under the car. Small pieces of plastic from the chair remained scattered on the ground after the accident scene was cleared.

Standing on the corner watching the officers, Karon Katopothis was still nervous and shaky. She saw the car make the turn and strike Boyd. She ran and sat with her, telling her it would be OK and that an ambulance was on its way.

A mobility chair is stuck under the front of a car Thursday at the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Ham Lane. The woman in the chair was taken by ground ambulance after sustaining injuries. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

"I was in shock. I hope I never have to see something like that again," she said. "It was very emotional."

Katopothis felt bad for everyone involved, including the driver, who she said was extremely upset after the accident.

She hopes this tragedy will bring attention to the intersection, which she said has been a constant problem for years because drivers on Ham never stop when people are in the crosswalk.

She walks a neighbor's dog five days a week at all different times of the day, and Katopothis said she often has to wait five minutes to cross.

It surprises her when a car does stop to let her cross.

"That should be mandatory," she said. "We have the right of way."

Katopothis said they need a stoplight at the intersection to help manage traffic and protect the students who cross from Lodi High School.

While they didn't see the actual crash, Marie Knittels said she heard it and ran outside with her husband, Jerry.

"I heard a bang, heard someone screaming, and I thought, 'Oh god, it's a kid,'" she said. "I never put my clothes on so fast in my life."

Knittels recognized the victim, who often passed by the Knittels' house in her wheelchair. She said the woman always used the sidewalk and crosswalks.

She said they frequently witness car accidents at the intersection and have talked to the police about putting stop signs on Ham.

"We need to get something out here for the kids, or that poor lady," Knittels said.

Neighbor B.J. Marez also says the intersection has constant accidents. When he moved into his house on the intersection's corner in 1999, he remembers neighbors talking about a four-way stop. Now, there are yellow signs and the crosswalk, but he said it has not slowed traffic down.

He hopes maybe now the city will consider putting one in.

"It would work and be just enough to stop the traffic from jetting through," she said.

Contact reporter Maggie Creamer at maggiec@lodinews.com or read her blog at www.lodinews.com/blogs/citybuzz.

Reader Feedback

gatemom wrote on Nov 6, 2009 7:33 PM:

" A few years ago I was walking in a crosswalk with my infant daughter in a sling and a speeding suv blew through the stop sign and almost mowed us down. Luckily (I thought) a police car was at the opposite side of the intersection and I tried to flag him down, but he didn't stop and gave me a dirty look. I called 911 and gave them a discription of the driver and vehicle and followed up on it a few hours later. Of course they didn't find the car and no one seemed to care that my baby and I were almost hit. It was a terrible experience. Be safe out there! "

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Maggiecreamer wrote on Nov 6, 2009 5:48 PM:

" Just a clarification:
The 18-year-old driver was a female. Sorry I didn't get that in the story.
The car was insured.

Thanks,
Maggie, the reporter. "

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Watchit wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:18 PM:

" I don't think a traffic signal is warranted, however, I would recommend those blinking lights that span the street marking the crosswalk when pedestrians are crossing...I think they are very effective. "

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dogs4you wrote on Nov 6, 2009 10:58 AM:

" It used to be, no proof of insurance, no drivers licence`s, or registration, no tag. Thats the first thing you would be asked for if pulled over by law enforcement. Still that way? "

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Whoa Nellie! wrote on Nov 6, 2009 9:54 AM:

" Obviously any of our "main" streets like Ham Ln, Lodi Ave, Elm, Lockeford, etc drivers need to slow down and pay attention to pedestrians & bikers.

But between Ham Lane & Church Street drivers continue to speed down streets like Walnut, Oak, Pine, Elm, & Locust like its their own private expressway going well over the 25mph speed limit.

SLOW DOWN!!! "

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libraryguy wrote on Nov 6, 2009 9:12 AM:

" ordinarycitizen is right! Let's get signals at intersections that need them. How about Church and Locust? It's the only intersection between Lockeford and Lodi Ave. without a signal, yet there is a lot of foot traffic due to the theatre and the library. "

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ordinarycitizen wrote on Nov 6, 2009 8:52 AM:

" Drivers not stopping for pedestrians is a problem all around Lodi, but especially on Ham Ln. My husband and I walk a lot and live in that neighborhood. We have been in crosswalks on Ham Ln and had driver's literally speed up like they were trying to intentionally hit us - one driver in a white truck nearly did Friday night, Oct 16. I hate to cross Lodi Ave and Crescent because driver's blow through that intersection when the light is red - thankfully we could see the dark colored VW bug coming and didn't step into the crosswalk, but after that VW sped by, we started walking and a lady turning East onto Lodi AV just about hit us. It's dangerous out there when it comes to pedestrians in the crosswalk vs drivers who are too lazy or in a hurry to bother to stop. Drivers, please slow down, come to full and complete stops at the stop signs, don't blow through red lights and make our streets safer for all - pedestrians and drivers. "

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ordinarycitizen wrote on Nov 6, 2009 8:46 AM:

" LodiJoe: That very thing happened to me in 2003. I was rear-ended by a kid who was 19. He was an illegal immigrant, no DL, no insurance, the car wasn't even his, and the car wasn't registered or insured, and the officer said the same thing to me, "we can't deport him because we are not immigration." And then the officer began to tell me that the field worker's supervisors/foremans, etc. get these old 'beaters', they never register them, fix them up and literally run them to death, and if anything happens to the car, like being impounded that day, no big deal. The officer proceeded to tell me that the kid would be hidden 'underground' until the incident blew over - oh, yes, he was given a ticket but would never go to court about it. What did it cost me? 6 yrs later I still suffer from chronic neck pain from mild to excrutiating and very bad headaches. "

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LodiJoe wrote on Nov 6, 2009 4:55 AM:

" Unfortunately there are a great many unlicensed, uninsured and illegal people driving on our roads. One such person totalled my friends parked car and they had just made the last payment on it a week prior. The police let that driver walk away, stating "we are not immigration". Sad, they broke the law and simply went back to Mexico to avoid any consequences. "

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Mad Dog wrote on Nov 6, 2009 2:40 AM:

" The driver of the car was unlicensed. Since he was unlicensed, he probably doesn't have insurance. The driver struck someone in a crosswalk. There are 3 counts against him right there.

Does the driver own the car? If not, he should be charged with vehicle theft. If the car was loaned to him by the owner, the owner should also be charged with a crime.

Let's start nailing some of these people who drive illegally.

I hope that the victim recovers fully. "

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