Paul Clinton
HILLSIDE DISTRICT -- For the family of Maria Guillana, the new
four-way stop sign at Sixth Street and Angeleno Avenue is too little too
late; a painful reminder of what could have been.
Seeking unspecified damages, the Burbank family has filed a complaint
alleging the city's negligence caused the death of their elderly mother,
who was hit by a car as she crossed the intersection Halloween morning.
The complaint, which paves the way for a formal lawsuit stemming from
the death of the 83-year-old woman, was filed with the city clerk Monday.
Guillana's seven children allege the city is liable for her death because
it failed to install a four-way stop at the accident-prone intersection.
At least 12 accidents have occurred at Sixth and Angeleno since November
1997, according to city documents.
In the early 1990s, an attempt to get two additional stop signs put in
by neighbors living near the intersection failed. But on Feb. 22, the
City Council approved the four-way stop.
"Obviously, there was a need for it," Councilman Bob Kramer said. "It
seems like it has been unsafe."
Guillana's son Vincent didn't return calls for comment, but the
family's Century City attorney said the complaint was an attempt to be
compensated for the loss.
By approving the four-way stop, John Alan Montag said the city
demonstrated its liability.
"They didn't do it until this death," Montag said. "That was the
catalyst that convinced them to take this action."
City Atty. Dennis Barlow said he would do everything he could to
protect taxpayer's in the lawsuit.
"We take fairly seriously the death of pedestrians," Barlow said. "But
we also want to defend the public purse."
A TRAGIC ACCIDENT
On Oct. 31, as she did on most Sundays, Guillana went for a walk
through her Hillside District neighborhood. Heading west on Angeleno, she
stepped into an unmarked crosswalk when she got to Sixth Street. At the
same time, Lilian Salazar, who was on her way to church in Glendale, was
fiddling with the visor on her pickup truck to keep the sun out of her
eyes.
As she slowed to approximately 25 mph, the 26-year-old Salazar grabbed
her sunglasses from the nearby seat and brought them to her face. With
the sun still blinding her from the horizon, Guillana stepped into the
street. Salazar's truck hit the woman, knocking her to the pavement.
Guillana was taken to County-USC Medical Center where she died from
severe head trauma.
After an investigation by Burbank police, the district attorney
