2 Freeway: Car Crashes Onto Red Car Property From The 2 Freeway

All photos: Red Car Property neighbors, April 27, 2019.

Around 2:30 AM, Red Car Property neighbors were awakened by a horrible sounding crash on the 2 Freeway. A very expensive sports car crashed through the chain link fence and came to a stop at the base of a steep slope on the Red Car Property.  At least one neighbor called police when it appeared people took off after the neighbor shined a bright flashlight on them.

One Silver Ridge neighbor described the sound of the crash: a car's screeching tires on the southbound 2 Freeway, then a large crash followed by more squealing tires and an even larger traveling crash.  A Corralitas neighbor's doorbell camera recorded the same sequence of sound at 2:31 AM.

The photo above is a lighter version of the previous photo, shot around 3 AM. 

With no large trees that used to prevent drivers from crashing onto Corralitas and the Red Car Property, the driver crashed through the brush on the side of the 2 Freeway, down the slope, through the chain link fence, across the public sidewalk (Corralitas Walk) and onto the Red Car Property, stopping at the base of the steep slope at the south end of the Red Car Property.  

Neighbors were on alert for fire since brush clearance had not been done.  This is the same part of the property that burned in the 2016 Silver Lake Fire.

When the sun came up, the path of the crash was more clear.  The orange cones mark the section of chain link fence taken out by the car crashing through and across Corralitas Walk.  It stopped at the far right of the frame.  The tire tracks completing the circle to the left, show the path the tow truck took to reach the car.

The large gap in the trees along the southbound 2, just past the orange cones, is where CalTrans cut down all the trees, including a number of enormous Eucalyptus trees that previously kept cars from flying onto Corralitas Drive and the Red Car Property.  

CalTrans cut down all the trees, including recovering trees that were not dead, after the 2016 Silver Lake Fire.  As soon as CalTrans cut the trees down, neighbors began asking CalTrans for trees, a sound wall or even concrete K-rails because they were suddenly feeling exposed.  A few months after the trees were removed a car flew off the freeway and crashed horribly onto Corralitas Drive.  It was fortunate no pedestrians were injured in either crash.

By 4 AM the tow truck was loading the car now in the Corralitas cul-de-sac, adjacent to the Red Car Property.  A neighbor confirmed the crashed car was a brand new Lamborghini.  It still had dealer paper plates.  From the photos, it appears CHP was present.

After last week's crash, we asked CD13 to prioritize brush clearance on the Red Car Property and request CalTrans do their brush clearance too. A fire could have sparked with the hot engine resting on the dry grass. 

Related: 
Car flies off 2 Freeway onto Corralitas Drive, 2016

All our car crash posts

Several neighbors from Silver Ridge Ave (directly above the Red Car Property) and Corralitas Drive contributed photos, video/audio recording, in addition to what they saw and heard to help create this post. 

This post was published May 7, 2019 and postdated to the incident date for reference.

Corralitas Drive: Termites Dining On Dried Chicken Of The Woods

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 16, 2017.  Several enormous Chicken of the Woods mushrooms sprouted from a dead Eucalyptus stump on Corralitas Drive.  Several were turkey platter size.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 16, 2017.  When the fungus dries out, termites move in from the host tree.  The tendrils beneath the fungus are termite droppings.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 16, 2017.  They grow in the same host trees year after year, prior to the rainy season, usually in October and November..

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 16, 2017.  All of these mushrooms were growing from the same stump.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 16, 2017.  In the Red Car Property Neighborhood, Eucalyptus is most often their host plant.

Read more: MykoWeb
All our neighborhood fungus

Disclaimer: The Corralitas Red Car Property Blog prefers to quote reliable sources, such as CalFlora and California Poison Control on the issue of toxicity. MykoWeb is the resource everyone seems to refer to for mushrooms. The Los Angeles Mycological Society has a recommended reading list. 

If you are eating your way through the Red Car Property, we DO NOT recommend you eat any plant you find in the Red Car Property neighborhood without first doing your own research.

Red Car Property: More Dead Eucalyptus Near Adelbert

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 15, 2017.  There aren't too many Eucalyptus left on the north end of the Red Car Property near Adelbert.  More keep dying.  This is a fire hazard.  Adelbert is a very narrow substandard Hillside street with only one access point for vehicles, hairpin turns and no place to turn cars around without using driveways.

We're not sorry to see Eucalyptus go, since they are non-native and do not hold hillsides together in the rain.  However, we mourn the loss of shade and radical change in the ecosystem on the north end of the Red Car Property.  It's a lot hotter and drier now.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 17, 2017.  Despite their death, the Eucs are a host for shelf fungi.  Here, seen with what appears to be a dried up Chicken of the Woods.  

Editor's note: This post was published December 18, 2017, and backdated to the the week the photos were shot since they show hazardous conditions on the Red Car Property, in the Very High Fire Severity Zone (VHFHSZ).  The first photo also may indicate evidence of erosion along the middle of the slope.

Red Car Canyon: More Trees Coming Down

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #1, September 14, 2017.  This morning, photos and videos came in from vigilant neighbors of more tree carnage in Red Car Canyon.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Neighbors report they seemed to be removing dead branches and trees.  Yet, photos appear to indicate smaller trees recovering from the 2016 fire appear cut down in recent weeks.  We'll run a comparison post soon.  (These things take time and are depressing as all hell to look at what we lost.)

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, September 14, 2017.  Enlarged from previous photo, you get a better idea of scale when you see the worker up on the tree trunk.

Red Car Canyon: TIMBER!!!! Eucalyptus on Lake View side pic.twitter.com/YDVui3KOhO

— Corralitas (@RedCarProperty) September 14, 2017

Video: Red Car Neighbor Property Neighbor #2, September 14, 2017.  Another neighbor captured the moment they felled the same Eucalyptus.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #2, September 14, 2017.  Photo confirmed the same contractor who's been doing brush clearance for the past few weeks, was chopping up trees in the canyon today.  

Looks like our heat island is expanding.
 

2 Freeway: Sunday's Tree Work

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017.  The sound of chainsaws on the 2 Freeway at 6:30 AM, Sunday, awoke neighbors on Corralitas Drive.   One neighbor investigated.  CalTrans took down more than a dozen big trees in past month, claiming they were dead after last year's fire.  (We've not yet had a chance to put together a comparison post on what was removed a few weeks ago.  It is pending.)  We only have a handful of big trees left on the section of the 2 Freeway just south of the 5 Freeway. 

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017.  Unlike previous rounds of tree removal, there were a host of actual CalTrans vehicles and a backhoe working on the medians on both sides of the northbound 2 Freeway.  Previous work was done by tree contractors.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017.  It appears they cut down everything growing in the medians, including young trees making a comeback after last year's fire and a few rounds of CalTrans' tree removals.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017.  They picked up the green carnage in the dump trucks. It also appears they planted new trees.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017.  To our surprise, at least a half dozen trees were planted in the slope between north and southbound lanes.  While the trees may not do much to clean the air today, at least it's a commitment to the future.  Neighbors have been asking for trees for more than a year since the fire.

Two weeks ago, another Red Car Property neighbor spoke to a representative from State Senate President Kevin DeLeon's staff regarding planting trees.  According to the deputy, CalTrans planted 12 Sycamore trees and 40 Toyons on the 2 Freeway.  Toyon is a slow growing, drought tolerant native shrub.  The conversation occurred 10 days prior to the planting. We'd still like to know where all those trees were planted.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017.  There are 2 large Eucalyptus in the median south of the overhead "End of Freeway" sign. That's pretty much all the mature trees between the north and southbound lanes now. 

Related: Why We Bitch About Losing Trees
What Difference Do Trees Make?  Part 1, Part 2 
Weekend & Evening Traffic (2015)
Why We Need Trees (2014)
 

Red Car Property Neighborhood: There's Nothing Scarier On The 4th Of July Than Hipsters With Fireworks*

*Post originally published July 2, 2014.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 4, 2013.  That giant airborne explosion is not a professional fireworks show, but illegal fireworks shot off by some idiot on the south (Silver Lake & Elysian Heights) side of the 5 Freeway, close to Corralitas Drive.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

It seems every year we see more people shooting off illegal fireworks in the hills.  You can hear the gunpowder raining down on your roof, patios & trees - as I witnessed on Corralitas a couple years ago.  That same year, another neighbor was dumbstruck when he saw drunken hipsters shooting off similar fireworks way up on top of Micheltorena.  

ALL FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, UNLESS THEY ARE IN A PROFESSIONAL FIREWORKS SHOW.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 27, 2014.  The dying Eucalyptus tree is still hanging above Red Car Canyon today.  (APN 5440-030-033)  

In fact, only 2 of the dozen or so dead and dying Eucalyptus we highlighted in May trees were significantly trimmed back.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 27, 2014.  The dead weeds are taller than the allowed 3" within 100' of homes. 

Links: LAFD Brush Clearance Unit
All our brush clearance posts

LAPD and LAFD are telling people, if you see someone shooting off fireworks, call 1-877-ASK-LAPD. If you see smoke, safely investigate.  If you see fire (not a BBQ) call 911.

Red Car Property Lot C: Needs Brush Clearance

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 1, 2017.  Two months since the deadline for brush clearance passed (May 1, every year) and the Red Car Property (in this post, north of India Street) has yet to be cleared.  That huge dead Eucalyptus is in the 40' wide City street right-of-way for Silver Lake Court.  High voltage lines appear to go through the tree to the adjacent telephone pole.  The crumbling slope is Lot C of Red Car Property.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 1, 2017.  Just north of India Street, the grass is taller and much more dense than a year ago.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor July 1, 2017.  Another dead Eucalyptus was trimmed back during brush clearance in December 2016, only after the Red Car Property was red tagged and cleared by a LAFD brush clearance contractor.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 1, 2017.  The grass is so thick, you'd never know how crumbly the slope really is.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 1, 2017.  The 4th of July is 2 days away, but cigarettes can be tossed any day of the year. 

Send your concerns about brush clearance on the Red Car Property to CD13's Hector.Vega@lacity.org.

Red Car Property North: More Dry Brush

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, June 29, 2017.  Heading towards Fletcher from the construction fence, you get a better idea of how much the grass has been mashed down.  Some of the dead  Eucalyptus still needs removal.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, June 29, 2017.  The native trees came back nicely.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, June 29, 2017. The native Blue Elderberry (on the far left) is beginning to fruit.  It looked dead this time last year.  The native Black Walnut saplings never went away. Native trees evolved with our drought/deluge/fire Southern California landscape.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, June 29, 2017.  The protected native Back Walnut Trees above the historic landmark viaduct footings recovered well from 5 years of exceptional drought.

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Dead Trees, Brush Clearance

Photo: Corralitas Drive Neighbor, June 13, 2017.  Dry grass on the odd slope on Allesandro St at Rosebud Ave which is actually Sunflower Ave, but the maps are out of sync with the street signs.  (click on photos to enlarge.)

The odd slope is within the CalTrans easement, but like everything surrounding the 2 Freeway, no one takes responsibility for it. More than once in 27 years,  I've seen a CalTrans crew spray the weeds with poison.

Photo: Corralitas Drive Neighbor, June 13, 2017.  Enlarged from previous photo.  Dead Eucalyptus are in the Modjeska Street right-of-way, a paper street, on an  extremely steep slope in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.  Looks like the Modjeska slope is in need of brush clearance too.  The City will never build  40' wide Modjeska Street right-of-way, as it is steeper than a 30% grade.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 22, 2016.  A year ago, the dead non-native Eucalyptus in the Modjeska paper street, were clearly evident as viewed from Corralitas Drive.  Eucalyptus trees all over the area have been dying suddenly for the past 4 years.  The Modjeska trees have been dead for more than a year.

Every year on and around the 4th of July, some idiots invariably shoot fireworks off over the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.

Red Car Property: Spot The Homeless Camp

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, June 15, 2017. Neighbors discovered a blue tent pitched among the bushes on the Red Car Property near Rose Scharlin Nursery School today.  Just past the pile of railroad ties dumped on the property behind a home on Riverside Place.  (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

One neighbor heard voices coming from inside the tent this morning.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, June 15, 2017.  Neighbors from Corralitas Drive, Riverside Place and Lake View Ave texted and emailed photos to me and CD13 today.  Neighbors are concerned about the risk of fire since brush clearance has not been done.  Homes on this part of the Red Car Property are very close together.  There are still some dead and dying Eucalyptus trees in the background of this photo, as well as a stand of arundo.  

Neighbors are also concerned due to recent mail and package theft, as well as a general increase in property related crimes in the area.  When you call the police regarding anything on the privately owned Red Car Property, you need to tell LAPD dispatch there is an active  trespass order on file at the Northeast LAPD Station or they won't respond.

Send your concerns regarding brush clearance, homeless, partying, joyriding or any other issue on the Red Car Property to hector.vega@lacity.org in CD13. 

Red Car Property: Why We Bitch About Brush Clearance

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor June 6, 2017.  Aside from the potential risk of fire fueled by dry weeds and  unrestricted vehicle access to the Red Car Property, there are other risks both on the Red Car Property and adjacent lots.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 1. Several adjacent Lake View Ave, Silver Ridge Ave and Corralitas Drive neighbors have failed to do their brush clearance.  There is a large Castor Bean forest growing on one Lake View Ave lot.  Castor Bean Plants are non-native, highly invasive.  All parts of the plant are extremely toxic and emit a toxic gas when burned (Ricin).  Castor Beans will take over entire hillsides, quickly crowding out any native species.  

The power lines in the middle of the slope run along the property line between the Red Car Property and adjacent Lake View and Silver Ridge lots.

2. At least one telephone pole (see arrow in photo above) appears bowed or bent.  With fires in 2014 and 2016, neighbors wonder if the pole has been weakened and needs replacing. 

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 16, 2016.  Several neighbors spent months after the 2016 fire getting the runaround from DWP and AT&T regarding the status of the pole.  Nothing ever seems to have been resolved.

3. There are several large dead and dying trees near the power lines including what's left of one pine tree leaning at a 45 degree angle (see first photo).  The trees appear to be on the adjacent Lake View lots.  In April, DWP contractors trimmed trees under and within 10' of the high voltage lines in the Red Car Canyon.  However, Eucalyptus can collapse months after the rainy season, usually in July and August.  At least one of the two big dead trees on the slope is Eucalyptus and perilously close to a telephone pole that has a transformer on top (see first photo). 

The first photo does show one positive thing.  The protected native Black Walnuts and Coast Live Oak, along with other large trees are recovering from the 2016 Silver Lake Fire.

Red Car Property: Steep Slopes, No Trees

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, January 28, 2017.  The steep slope on the south end of the Red Car Property has no trees to hold it together.  The slope below Lake View Ave burned in the June 19, 2016, Silver Lake Fire.  The Red Car Property line is roughly parallel with the power lines above the slope.  With nearly 18'' of rain since Oct 1, neighbors are wondering how much of the slope will slide.  This slope drains directly to Corralitas Red Car Property, into what we refer to as Lake Corralitas. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, January 28, 2017.  It's hard to convey just how steep the slopes are above the Red Car Property.  The tree stumps on the opposite slope are from the formerly huge Eucalyptus tree adjacent to Corralitas Walk and the 2 Freeway. 

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, January 9, 2017.  The dead Eucalyptus trees on the Red Car Property slope were cut down in December by LAFD brush clearance contractors.  Meanwhile the native Black Walnuts and Coast Live Oaks are recovering from the fire.

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, July 9, 2016.  A few weeks after the Silver Lake Fire, one of the two large Eucalyptus trees to the right of and downslope from the power pole was showing new growth.  However the already diseased tree was dry again by October.  In July, neighbors were unsure which trees would survive.  Leson: plant native trees and shrubs; they evolved with our extreme drought/fire/deluge hillside ecosystem.

Red Car Canyon: Sewer Contractor Working In Dry Brush Area

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 10, 2016.  Last week, neighbors from Corralitas, Lake View and Riverside Place wondered about the backhoe, generator, porta-potty and other trucks in Red Car Canyon.  This appears to be part of a large sewer project in the area. (Click on photos to enlarge.)  

It is of major concern to neighbors, since brush clearance was never done this year and the canyon is the most dry it's ever been in the 26 years I've lived here.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 10, 2016.  While taking photos, the neighbor spoke to a City inspector on site who said they were working on sewer lines between manhole covers up on the Corralitas side of the slope, along the fence line (hidden by the dense brush).

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 10, 2016.  Another neighbor confirmed what appears to be the same crew has been working in and around Riverside Place since September.  The same neighbor also said they seemed to be working in a patchwork fashion. He'd received a letter from the City a year ago.  Another Red Car Property neighbor overlooking the south end of the Red Car Property received a similar letter.  Although that section should be more challenging, since the sewer line is in the middle of the slope, running parallel with the power lines.  They worked on sewers from the city easements in backyards on Corralitas Drive and on the Lake View side of Red Car Canyon in 2015.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 10, 2016.  The proximity of the work to dry brush and dead and dying trees concerns neighbors most. No one has seen any brush clearance on this end of the property since July, and that now appears to have been done by utility company contractors and individual homeowners concerned about their own safety.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 9, 2016. There is a large build up of dry leaves and brush from the dry and dying canyon trees, including a large eucalyptus directly behind and above the area where the crew was working last week. However, the little Coast Live Oak Tree on the right side of the above photo is about 12 feet tall now. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 9, 2016.  It's always difficult to get a good representative photo of the canyon area because of the harsh contrast in lighting through the trees.  However the pine and eucalyptus trees above the generator have been drying out horribly this year.  Adjacent neighbors have bamboo in their yards, a highly combustible plant which leaves Red Car Canyon a disaster waiting happen.  

Water your trees.