Opinion: Death of 18-year-old son’s death sparks cry for safer San Jose streets
My son Kyle LaBlanc had just turned 18. He was energetic and brilliant, an inventor and a techie. He was looking forward to being the DJ at his high school Valentine’s Dance, and graduation was only five months away. He planned to study computer networking in college to one day work for Google.
Kyle was near the light rail station at Curtner Avenue and the Highway 87 underpass, headed for home. The lights were out. It was a dark, January night in 2016. The crosswalks were confusing, and there were no signs for pedestrians. He walked down a dirt path that should have been a sidewalk, and to avoid a puddle, stepped into the bike lane. A tow truck driver, traveling too fast for the wet and dark conditions, cut across the bike lane toward the freeway onramp and struck Kyle.
There are no words to explain the kind of pain a mother feels when losing her child. My hope in speaking out is to prevent others from feeling this pain. On average, San Jose police respond to 20 crashes a day, 10 of which involve an injury and over one per week resulting in a death. A record 65 people died on San Jose streets last year — almost twice the number of homicides in the city. Of these 65 fatalities, 32 were pedestrians.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Death Cafe is now open: Let’s eat, drink and dive deep into death | OpinionA hospital chaplain stresses the need to explore all matters death in the here and now.
Read more »
What caused a San Jose cat and visiting dog to forget their bathroom training?Plus, does my goldfish need a buddy?
Read more »
Man walks into San Jose hospital with gunshot wounds; dies next daySan Jose police have arrested a suspect in connection with a fatal weekend shooting – the city's third homicide of 2023.
Read more »
Sunnyvale man arrested in connection with violent San Jose kidnappingA 43-year-old suspect has been arrested in the violent kidnapping and attempted robbery of a woman as she walked near John Mise Park in West San Jose.
Read more »
San Jose: Man arrested in connection to January attempted kidnappingA suspect was arrested in connection to an early January attempted kidnapping and robbery, police say.
Read more »