LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) -- A La Mesa couple is still reeling after a car crashed into their home and RV last month, causing thousands of dollars in damage and leaving them anxious about their safety.
The April 24 crash has brought to light safety concerns that Tom and Christie Villareal and their neighbors have had about Spring Street for several years.
"It's devastating," Christie Villareal said. "It's getting busier and busier and busier on the street where the city needs to come in and make some measures to protect our family property, so that way we're not dealing with it.”
The La Mesa Police Department has completed its investigation into the crash and believes alcohol was a factor. It is recommending criminal charges against two suspects for hit-and-run and conspiracy. The case has been forwarded to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.
Watch Adam Campos' April 24 report from the scene:
The Villareals said the crash and resulting damage will cost them more than $25,000. The couple estimated total losses are adding up to more than $100,000.
Since the crash happened, they've been struggling to feel comfortable in their own home.
"Every time I hear a bump or a boom or any noise, I'm very jittery," Christie said. "I can barely go into the bedroom without just looking around, going, what's coming down next?”
For years, the couple has asked the city to address safety concerns on this stretch of Spring Street, saying this accident was inevitable.
This isn't the first time a vehicle has crashed on that section of Spring Street heading northbound. In 2022, a car crashed into the condo complex above the Villareals’ home, which was also covered by ABC 10News. At the time, ABC 10News spoke to Christie and a neighbor, with both raising the red flag about drivers speeding.
In a conversation with La Mesa City Councilmember Laura Lothian about the crash, she acknowledged how dangerous of a street Spring Street can be for drivers based off her own experiences on the road.
"I don't dare take even one block on Spring because I am so afraid of getting hit by someone going 80 miles an hour," Lothian said. "It's like the freeway that's linking two freeways.”
Since the crash, the city has added water barriers and replaced the fencing where the car crashed through.
A spokesperson from the City of La Mesa told ABC 10News the city's traffic engineering team is looking into more permanent solutions to make the road safer. The spokesperson added the review "should be completed in a couple months.”
The Villareals, however, remain concerned about the temporary measures.
"I still don't feel safe because we still have a wide-open gap," Christie said. "At the velocity these cars come through, are those barriers really going to stop anything, or is it just going to hit the impact and they're still going to come down the embankment?"
Last January, La Mesa published a report called the Local Road Safety Plan that dives deeper into the road safety conditions across the city. According to the report, one graph shows Spring Street from the Gateside Road intersection near state Route 94 has one of the highest crash rates in the city, with incidents being among the most severe.
A city spokesperson said the data in the report highlights the areas for continued monitoring and consideration for potential safety enhancements.
"Do something," Christie said when reacting to the report. "If you know it's already on the report that it's a dangerous street, do something; not to only protect us but to protect our neighbors, protect everybody here".
Lothian is proposing a new quarterly report that requires updates to the city council on the actions taken to address the streets highlighted in the road safety plan. She believes the city has not focused on implementing safer street measures and acknowledges she just recently learned about the details of the road safety plan.
"I want to be more proactive, not reactive, right now. Unfortunately, we are being reactive, but we are taking this very seriously," Lothian said.
The proposal for the quarterly report is scheduled for a vote on Tuesday, and Lothian expects it to pass.
The Villareals have a GoFundMe account to help with expenses.
ABC 10News will be following through with Villareals’ recovery and the actions taken by the city to address the safety of Spring Street in the coming months.
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