A community is reeling after a young boy was struck and trapped beneath a truck when it slammed into a gelato shop in Encinitas — an incident reopening old wounds for many who have been fighting for safer streets.
Authorities say the driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
More than 24 hours later, the shattered storefront of Gelato 101 serves as a painful reminder of what happened in this typically quiet neighborhood. The accident comes as the community continues to heal from the loss of another child — 12-year-old Emery Chalekian, who would have turned 13 this week.
For longtime teacher Melissa Scharbarth, the news hit especially hard.
“My first thought was, 'Here we go again,' and my stomach dropped,” said Scharbarth, a fourth-grade teacher at Parkdale Lane Elementary School.
She’s taught in the Encinitas Union School District for more than two decades — and says one thing has remained constant: the fight to keep students safe.
“It’s been a constant concern of mine, the safety of the students in our neighborhoods,” she said. “It definitely raised an alarm in my mind.”
Scharbarth says the boy injured in this week’s crash is one of her students. He was pinned underneath the truck when it crashed into the shop — but thankfully, is expected to recover.
Neighbors tell ABC 10News the crash feels all too familiar.
“It was really hard to hear,” said Laura Van Dusen, a close family friend of the Chalekians. “It was shock — unbelievable shock. I think it’s really symbolic of the issue we’re seeing every day: reckless driving and people just not realizing.”
For months, the Chalekian family and their supporters have pushed for street safety measures after Emery was struck and killed at a busy intersection last year. Many in the community say this latest incident strengthens their resolve.
“It could have very well been any one of our kids,” Van Dusen said.
For Scharbarth, the memory of Emery remains deeply personal. She showed ABC 10News a small tattoo — the letter “E” — in honor of her former student.
“It’s a constant reminder that she’ll forever be with me,” she said. “When I lost Emery, it shattered my world. These kids that come into my classroom — I know they are somebody’s whole world. Hearing that crossing a street, in an area where they should feel safest, is no longer safe… that’s heartbreaking.”
In the wake of these tragedies, residents have rallied together under Safe Streets Encinitas — a group focused on creating safer roads for pedestrians, cyclists and children.
“Our goal is to work with the city council and have an impact on how our roads can be safer — to be a voice for the community,” Van Dusen said. “It’s been hard at times, but it feels very meaningful. It just gives us more momentum to keep going. There’s a lot that needs to be done.”
Scharbarth agrees that change is possible — and necessary.
“It’s hard to change human behavior,” she said. “But changing the roads we drive on can change human behavior. We can learn, grow, and make changes so that this doesn’t happen anymore. Enough is enough.”
