A small(ish) community with big city problems
It was quite the weekend in the Antelope Valley. Law enforcement was busy with everything from accident investigations to a homicide.
It seems to be commonplace these days, as crime and fatal collisions appear to be on the rise in Lancaster and Palmdale.
Since the beginning of the year, we’ve covered several fatal collisions, some involved motor vehicle crashes, others involving pedestrians. The latest occurred at 3:35 a.m., Sunday on Rancho Vista Boulevard, just west of Cricket Lane.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2003 Dodge Ram, driving east in the number one lane on Rancho Vista Boulevard, veered into the number one westbound lane of Rancho Vista Boulevard for unknown reasons and hit a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado, head-on. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene and there were no other occupants in either of the pickup trucks.
The details of the crash are sparse and it’s unclear who the drivers are, since they had not been identified as of Monday morning.
In other crime news over the weekend, deputies from Palmdale Station were dispatched at 10:35 p.m., Sunday, to the area of 11th Street East and Avenue R, in regard to a call of a person with a gun.
A woman was reportedly entering her apartment, when a man confronted her at the door and asked to be let in because someone was chasing him.
The woman refused and the man forced himself into the house. He then attempted to assault the woman with a hammer. She ran to her bedroom and got a gun, but the man overpowered her and took the gun from her, then shot her in the face. There is much more to this story, so be sure to read the complete report in the Antelope Valley Press.
This is one good example of how being in possession of a gun doesn’t always mean that you’ll be able to protect yourself.
Those who think guns are the answer to protecting your home and family, better be well trained in not only using the gun, but in self-defense, as well.
The third incident also occurred on Sunday, in which a man in his 40s was killed in the 1000 block of West Avenue K, in Lancaster, near Target and Dickey’s BBQ. The suspect fled and left the dead man in the parking lot.
These are just some of the major incidents that occurred over the weekend. There were many others, ranging from fights, to people firing guns, other traffic collisions, breakins and even a kitten rescue.
We often hear about how the Antelope Valley is a small community where everyone knows everyone else. But the more we hear about crime in the AV, that statement seems to be one that’s associated with past demographics and before crime began to run rampant.
These days, it seems the AV is a smallish community with big city problems. That’s what happens when the population grows.