SAN ANTONIO — Residents on the south side are calling on the city of San Antonio to do something about dangerous roads in their neighborhood. Early Tuesday morning, police responded to a serious crash on W. Malone Ave. near Vignes St. off of I-35.
Police said the crash happened at 1:48 a.m. Police said the driver was speeding in the wrong direction before losing control of his vehicle. The car rolled and crashed into the fence of a home near a creek.
Oscar Almanza has been living in the area for thirty years. He said he was getting ready to go to bed when the crash happened.
"I heard something like a metal fall in the pavement and I ran outside. And so then I saw a car right there," Almanza said.
Police said the driver may have been ejected from the vehicle. He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. A woman sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle also tried to hide from police, but she was taken to the hospital after going into anaphylactic shock from standing on an ant hill.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the wrecked out car has been cleared away, but shards of glass litter the ground and a chain-link fence is disfigured. A chicken coop was also located feet away from the crash, but did not sustain any damage. The residents inside the home weren't hurt.
Melton Schultz has been living in his home his entire life. He said his home belonged to his grandmother before him, and has witnessed several crashes. Schultz said drivers are constantly speeding, don't anticipate the curve, or drive the wrong way. The speed limit on the road is 35 mph.
"I've seen over over 30 wrecks in this time and some head-ons right in front of the house," Schultz said. He estimates there are about ten wrong-way drivers a day.
"I mean, it’s horrible here. I mean, you name it," Almanza added.
A little more than two months ago, on May 9, there was another serious crash on W. Theo Ave., which runs parallel to W. Malone. W. Both are one-way roads, with W. Malone heading east and W. Theo heading west.
Angela Gonzalez said she was at home when the driver of a silver Honda lost control and rolled, hitting a tree. Gonzalez said if the tree hadn't been there, the car could have slammed into her daughter's room.
"I could have lost my children that night when it happened to me," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said after the crash, she reached out to councilwoman Terri Castillo, of District 5. Several neighbors, including Gonzalez, voiced concerns that the two roads are close to schools. Burbank High School is one block north of W. Theo, and Hillcrest Elementary is located between both roads.
"There's elderly people living around here. We have kids playing on their backyards and nothing is being done," Gonzalez said.
Following this most recent crash, Gonzalez said she reached out to Castillo's office again.
"Speed bumps I honestly think would slow it down a little bit. But I mean, there's not there's hardly any signs you know," Gonzalez said.
Schultz said he has also called the city to implement safety measures on the road. He said two years ago, the city installed sidewalks upon his request, but more could be done.
"I've asked the city to install some signs with flashing lights at the end of the street by [South] Flores," Schultz said.
Gonzalez said she will continue to advocate for her neighborhood until something is done about the roads.
"I like where I live and I don't want to move. I don't really like to move my kids around in school, but it's just something that if their safety is going to be my concern, then it's going to mean that they're going to be safe somewhere else," Gonzalez said.
The following is a statement from Council District 5, Teri Castillo's office:
“The traffic issues on West Malone and Theo are of major concern for the District 5 Office. I am grateful for emergency responders who were immediately at the scene to assist everyone involved in the accident.
We are currently working with the Public Works Department and Traffic Engineers on examining the West Malone and Theo area for potential traffic calming measures, and we have requested more traffic enforcement to ensure that drivers follow traffic laws in the area. Our office is working on policy aimed at streamlining infrastructure requests near schools to prioritize improvements that make our roads safe for everyone.
Previous accidents in the area occurred due to drunk driving, so we would like to remind people whether you plan to consume alcohol or host an event where alcohol is present, please include a plan that will get you and your guests home safe.”