LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) — A woman was arrested for driving under the influence after crashing on Spring Street in La Mesa late Friday night, adding to the troubling safety record of a road already ranked among the city's most dangerous.
La Mesa police said the woman was heading south when she crossed the center median, hit two trees and rolled to a stop in the northbound lanes. She suffered minor injuries in the crash.
The incident occurred on a stretch of road that has become notorious among residents for its dangerous conditions.
"It's like a disaster alley in the making," said Marva Smith.
Smith, who lives on Spring Street, heard the crash from her apartment building.
"I heard this horrific sound as I describe it. I mean it was a huge boom," Smith said.
Spring Street has earned a troubling reputation in the community.
"It's got a bad reputation," Smith said. "And maybe, justifiably so."
According to La Mesa's Local Road Safety Plan, published in 2024, Spring Street ranks as the sixth most dangerous road in the city.
From Lemon Avenue to Palm Avenue and Gateside Road, La Mesa police report 57 crashes over a 70-month span — from January 1, 2020 through October 31, 2025 — approximately one crash every five weeks.
Speed and drunk driving are cited as the main factors in these incidents.
The road made headlines last April when a car crashed into a couple's home and RV on the same stretch.
Smith was wide-eyed when she learned about the crash statistics.
"Oh my gosh I didn't know that! That is shocking to me," Smith said. "I mean, yeah. It entirely makes sense."
The city has implemented some safety measures, including the addition of warning signs about the curve, restriping the road and installing a visual radar to display drivers' speeds above the posted speed limit.
However, Smith believes more needs to be done.
"I'm satisfied that they're making some effort, I just don't know that they've gone far enough," Smith said.
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