Another violent crash occurs near 'the nation's most accident-prone home' in Burbank

Will Conybeare and Ellina Abovian

8 minutes ago

Residents of a Burbank neighborhood are calling for more safety precautions after another vehicle crashed into a concrete wall near a “problem intersection” near their homes.

The location in question is where Vanowen Street meets Buena Vista Street; Vanowen ends at Buena Vista – the latter crossing the railroad tracks right next to the intersection – and homes in North Buena Vista have been terrorized by numerous accidents over the past few decades, including one Tuesday morning.

According to a Burbank Police Department spokesperson, the accident occurred early in the morning at 4:37 a.m. at 1835 Buena Vista Street; Fortunately, the house on the property was saved from damage thanks to a concrete wall and a large tree.

Footage from the crash scene showed a black Nissan Altima hitting a light pole and going through the concrete wall. Police confirmed one person – identified only as an elderly man – was hospitalized with head trauma following the collision.

The intersection was closed for hours Tuesday morning as crews worked to clear the rubble. It's unclear how fast the man was driving or whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

Tuesday morning's collision comes less than two weeks after a Tesla crashed into a Buena Vista home on May 15. Homeowner Regina Reyes says that while she is grateful that neither her family nor the driver involved were seriously injured, she and other nearby residents are frustrated by the constant threat from reckless drivers.

Reyes' neighbors, the Castro family, have lived in their home since the 1950s and have seen drivers on Vanowen Street “constantly” drive drunk and speed recklessly, endangering the row of houses at proximity.

“I've lived here all my life and I've seen a lot of accidents, especially on the corner [pink] house,” said Michael Castro. “It’s dangerous… I wish [officials] would do something more.

Residents say a pink house at 1838 Buena Vista Street is known as “the most accident-prone in the country,” and news articles dating back to the 1960s detail dozens of accidents and collisions at that house alone.

According to reports, at one point the owners even proposed that the house be purchased by the city council, claiming the property was unsafe to live in.

Burbank city officials have installed partitions and barricades to protect homes, but residents say it's still not enough; they want a heavier police presence, more traffic lights and the installation of speed bumps.