Cody wrote on Jan 31, 2007 11:24 PM:I am a 15 year old student at San Dieguito Academy and this is such a tragic event. This poor kid was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. This tragedy will change the lives of many. It could have been anyone. I have walked past that very spot dozens of times since attending SDA. It really makes you realize how short life is and how you should cherish every day you have because you never know when you might have it all taken away from you.

Another reader wrote on Feb 1, 2007 5:42 AM:When will the school district pull their heads out from the sand and close the campus for lunch?

Mimi wrote on Feb 1, 2007 6:02 AM:Dear Cody, life may be short but your soul lives for eternity, this life is only practice. My condolences to everyone involved.

Bonnie wrote on Feb 1, 2007 6:48 AM:That southbound exit off the I-5 is one of the few without a traffic signal. There is only a stop sign for the southbound traffic and the east/west traffic always has the right-of-way. During morning/afternoon/lunch school rushes it's almost impossible to find a big-enough gap in traffic to turn left into the east-bound Santa Fe Drive. I can imagine that the 17-year-old driver might have seen a gap in traffic and "punched" it, not realizing his car would fishtail. What a horrible accident. My heart goes out to both families suffering in this tragedy. I've often heard that intersections won't get traffic lights until somebody gets killed, and perhaps that will be true in this case. That intersection needs a traffic light.

A friend wrote on Feb 1, 2007 6:55 AM:This dangerous intersection should be fixed to avoid future accidents. Also I believe that SDA should reconsider its off campus privileges. We will miss you Ryan. My deepest condolences.

AL wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:00 AM:My heart goes out not only to the families of affected students of SDA, but to those in public service: fire and police, who, had to work with and deal with this terrible tragedy.

Becca wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:18 AM:There have been three people killed by teen drivers in Encinitas in January. One was the Chef at Today's pizza, which is across the street from this recent tragedy. It is very sad and emotional for the families and friends of the victims. It is also very sad and emotional for the drivers and their families. I know the driver will remember the image of the accident for the rest of their life. What can be done to emphasize to young drivers that they are truly in charge of a lethal weapon when driving a vehicle -- one that can adversely effect many people's lives, including their own, for years? My thoughts are with the entire SDA community at this time. Take care.

John wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:19 AM:This is another good reason to have a closed campus. My condolences to the family.

Marcus wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:26 AM:I drive down Santa Fe several times a week during lunch. It was only a matter of time until a tragedy like this happened. The kids all walk in large groups and there is not much room for them to safely walk to the stores. The city and the school district have turned a blind eye to this problem for years and now this. The school will point the finger at the city now. The kids are pretty good for the most part but they do jay walk quite frequently. I called the school a few years ago and was referred to the sheriffs. That made no sense to me and I thought they passed the buck. I do think they need to have a closed campus like most high schools in the area. OPEN YOUR EYES SDA

teacher wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:38 AM:Please kids, Slow down, In 15 years of teaching 7 of my former students have been killed in traffic accidents. Several have been behind the wheel and caused injury and death to others (2 in the last month). Speed has been a factor in every one of these tragedies. Take your time, slow down and enjoy this precious gift of life. RIP Ryan

Mike wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:59 AM:I live near here and I'm constantly walking on roads in Encinitas that have no sidewalks. There's a similar area under I-5 at Encinitas Blvd that has no sidewalks on either side of the road. Then of course there's Vulcan which has high speed traffic and no sidewalks. Isn't it about time the city paved some sidewalks on its major roads?

Sic&Tired wrote on Feb 1, 2007 9:04 AM:How much more blood will be on the hands of the Encinitas City Council and traffic engineering staff before citizens lives become a priority over development? Shame on all of you. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryan's family and all of the students who are affected by this senseless tragedy.

Pete Nice wrote on Feb 1, 2007 9:27 AM:This is not a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. The victim was walking on the sidewalk, legally, on his way to school. Nothing wrong about that. The problem was the inexperienced teenager who accelerated his vehicle & lost control of it. He should be charged for driving recklessly. Was his vehicle searched for narcotics or alochol? When I was in high school, our cars were searched after leaving campus, in case of drugs or weapons being brought back.

a mom wrote on Feb 1, 2007 10:17 AM:My heart breaks for the parents, brother, and friends of Ryan. I have two kids at SDA and hate that horrible mess of an intersection -- and why is there a major road with NO SIDEWALKS within a few blocks of a high school?

A Pragmatist wrote on Feb 1, 2007 10:24 AM:Let’s show SDA leadership in honor of Ryan and organize a sit down protest in front of the City of Encinitas next Wednesday at lunch to demand a quick fix to this dangerous intersection to prevent future tragedies. Our sincere condolences to the family of a great student.

Kristy wrote on Feb 1, 2007 10:37 AM:I pray for both families, they all will be going through a lot in the next few weeks, months, years.One child gone, another left with the fact that he killed another.

SDA Mom wrote on Feb 1, 2007 11:17 AM:This corridor has long been an issue of concern for me. Open campus is not the issue; it’s the knuckleheads running our fine city. Hey councilmember’s at the City of Encinitas: while worrying about the traffic issues of Scripps Encinitas, what about the traffic issues around SDA? How many "near misses" have you had in the area where this tragedy occurred? We as not only the parents of SDA students but as citizens DEMAND attention to this matter so that next time it’s not one of our own. God Bless you Hwang family. May the outpouring of love bring comfort to you at this time.

A Mom wrote on Feb 1, 2007 11:39 AM:Closing the campus will not protect all of the children who walk to and from school along this dangerous road,as well as all of the other people who walk to the shopping center. One of the top priorities raised by residents at City Council Goal Setting Meetings was traffic calming and safe routes to school. Unfortunately, it ranked 3rd on the City's list of 1-3. There is NO sidewalk along this stretch of road! My sincere condolences to both families. What a tragedy. I can't begin to imagine your pain.

Sad at SDA wrote on Feb 1, 2007 12:04 PM:Issue here is that intersection, Not the ONE Day A week off Campus Lunch. Does it make a difference, so after school walking kids trying to navigate that area, the families you see walking to grocery store or hospital, this was going to happen to someone at this horrible intersection. Why is there NO LIGHT there so drivers don't have to make a quick left to make it across that intersection, it is ridiculous considering the amount of traffic there. You have drivers trying to turn left onto Freeway, & Straight throughs The short light for drivers coming out of the Shopping center & hospital with in feet and (their light) is not within view of left turners exiting off of 5 they tend to zoom through light, so left exit turners get stuck, in the race & go mode in fear of getting hit by East bound traffic from that shopping/hospital light. as well as left turners going to enter S. 5 (they rarely yield to left turners on to Santa Fe.) It is the proverbial squirrel running across the road to make that turn. This could have happened to anyone at anytime. Exiting 5 going north has a light at that intersection, so why no light on the other side. Very Dangerous intersection for Bi-Peds as well as motorists. And unfortunately two young peoples their families and others lives will never be the same as a result of this. I agree, lets make somthing happen to prevent this from happening again, GET A TRAFFIC LIGHT LOL to the Families involved

Kalie wrote on Feb 1, 2007 12:11 PM:I suggest all in Encinitas turn their attention to the Encinitas City Council. Why has a sidewalk in this location not been a priority? Funding? Do they really think free trips to Japan for the retiring fire cheif and others and private parties are more important than our children's safety. Unbelievable! There should be a public outcry.

Sarah wrote on Feb 1, 2007 12:21 PM:In my opinion, the school is situated in an area with a lot of drug activity. I feel a closed campus would remedy some of the problems at the school. Hard to believe it is still an open campus.

former student wrote on Feb 1, 2007 12:32 PM:The issue is not with the open campus lunch, because an accident like this could happen at any time. Whether it is a child on their way to school, or on their way home from school. There should be a sidewalk and there should be a light. Then pedestrians will have a safe place to walk, and drivers can make the turn much safer. SDA has done so many wonderful things and is a wonderful place for students to grow and learn. My condolences to the family and entire staff and student body at SDA.

Mom wrote on Feb 1, 2007 1:15 PM:A sidewalk would be important but that wouldn't have helped in this situation. A barrier between the sidewalk and the road would be needed (like the one on Lomas Santa Fe/Nardo in front of Skyline School in Solana Beach). My condolences to the families and all of SDA.

Scripps employee wrote on Feb 1, 2007 1:19 PM:I agree that there should be a signal at the south bound offramp of I-5. I have many times tried to exit there. When turning right on to Santa Fe you can not see the on coming traffic when there is someone waiting next to you to turn left. Most of the time I inch out and hope no one takes the front of my car off as thay go by. It is a dangerous area and I am so sorry that people have been injured and killed when there should be adequate safety measures provided. Especiaaly on Santa Fe near a hospital, school, church, and shopping center.

SDA Parent wrote on Feb 1, 2007 1:23 PM:It's a sad day for SDA students, parents, and staff. Unfortunately, it's only a matter of time before a similar tragedy occurs on Santa Fe. Much of Santa Fe Drive, from I-5 to El Camino Real has no sidewalk on either side. When you consider the number of students (high school, middle school, two elementary schools) who use this street, the city should be taking a good hard look at improving safety for students walking to and from school. Accidents such as this should never happen again.

An outraged citizen wrote on Feb 1, 2007 1:31 PM:Let's develop more, put more cars on an already overburdened street, put in a few roundabouts and call it traffic mitigation. That's what the City of Encinitas is proposing for this area. I agree, there needs to be a public outcry!! We must spare other families this same tragedy! It could have been any one of us driving and/or walking in this area. RIP Ryan.

Dr.V wrote on Feb 1, 2007 1:56 PM:What's not commonly known, is that there was another serious accident caused by an SDA senior in January. A boy driving a sports car at high speed rolled and the car caught on fire. A miracle that the boy and his passenger, (another SDA senior) escaped without serious injury. Could easily have been yet another teen driver killing someone because of reckless driving...

Resident wrote on Feb 1, 2007 2:54 PM:A closed campus will NOT solve the problem 100 percent by itself. But with improvements to the area such as sidewalks,traffic signals, and a closed campus...This will greatly reduce these tragedys.

Green Lake wrote on Feb 1, 2007 2:59 PM:I have lived off of Green Lake for years and have seen these "accidents" occur every year. I remember a few years ago a kid from SDA was speeding from a motorcycle officer and he drove in front of a semi on Santa Fe...That was a miracle that everyone wasn't killed or seriously injured. This recent tragedy will soon be forgotten and a new batch of victims will continue on....it will never stop because the school district and the city keep their heads buried in the sand. But hey, at least they have great test scores at SDA, and thats the priority of the district.

Diane wrote on Feb 1, 2007 3:01 PM:This was no accident -- the fault lies clearly with the City Council who has refused to make our streets safer despite resident's pleas. Santa Fe road under I-5 has no sidewalks on the south and a narrow strip of concrete on the north side. There are pylons and a slope. This is a dangerous condition and has existed since I moved here 10 years ago. There is no excuse for this City Council to sit on their collective [behinds] and continue to ignore dangerous conditions -- the only reason a roundabout was installed at Devonshire and Santa Fe was because a homeless man was killed trying to cross Santa Fe -- WHY DOES IT TAKE A DEATH TO GET OUR ROADS SAFE. The City Council needs to implement immediate emergency safety measures for that underpass with concrete barriers and making the street one lane on each side. There is no reason that area has to be two lanes wide. I am so angry at the senseless death of a bright beautiful boy.

Encinitas walker wrote on Feb 1, 2007 3:38 PM:Santa Fe Drive and Encinitas Blvd. both have the same type of poor design that puts pedestrians in danger every time we walk under the 5 to get to/from school, home and the stores. The traffic goes by at 50 mph only a few feet away, and we are walking in a bike lane! And there's no escape to jump out of the way, there are steep slopes and concrete pillars. The Encinitas City Council needs to fix this situation immediately. Do the right thing this time, no one should die because of this. RIP.

James wrote on Feb 1, 2007 4:12 PM:RIP Ryan

pete wrote on Feb 1, 2007 4:15 PM:We will all miss you Ryan, Smart, funny, a pleasure to be with.

What Diane? wrote on Feb 1, 2007 4:20 PM:Get your facts straight. The man killed trying to cross Santa Fe was hit by a drunk driver after the rondabout and street construction had already begun.

Diane2 wrote on Feb 1, 2007 4:55 PM:My sincere condolances to both families. I have lived here for 30 years and avoid that off ramp because there is no light. It is never safe at any time of day or night. There are pedestrians of all ages who walk the area, and closing the campus will be a dis-service to SDA. I had 3 kids graduate there. The city council needs to readress traffic in all of Encinitas and round-abouts are NOT the answer. Ever try to cross El Camino Real from Santa Fe as a pedestrian? The traffic goes hiway speeds and it is a residential area.

Kyle wrote on Feb 1, 2007 4:56 PM:I knew Ryan in middle school and he was really nice but I had decided to go to LCC. I wish would've come to LCC so none of this would ever happen

Cardiff local wrote on Feb 1, 2007 4:59 PM:This is truly a tragic event. But why is it that people automatically jump try a place blame. there is a side walk on the north side of the street, Closed campus really doean;t make that big of a difference. For how many years have kids had open campus and yet the amount if incidents are far and few between. Accidents happen.. that is why they are called accidents. If you shelter and protect kids they are never going to be able to make choices.... be cause adults have made them for them. Yes that intersection can be difficult to get across but is 4 signals within 400yards really going to make a difference? I can tell you this you may say yes now.. but wait till your sitting at those read lights thinking how stupid it is. Don;t get me wrong.. this is truely a great loss. For what ever reason Ryan's soul was needed elsewhere. Being a paramedic and seeing this kind of this often enough (sensless deaths) you quickly realize that when it is your time.. it is your time. So ENJOY LIFE and all that it has to offer. Sorry if i have offended anyone,thoughts go out to the family of all effected by this tragic even.

MarthaW wrote on Feb 1, 2007 5:01 PM:I drive my kids to SDA everyday, and then I drive back home along Santa Fe. That is a dangerous intersection at 8 am, and any time there is a lot of traffic. Farther east it is dangerous because of all the pedestrian traffic. And the turn lane into SDA conflicts with the turning into Santa Fe Christian, and the pedestrians there. The whole road needs better traffic control. Why is the speed limit on Santa Fe near the school 40 mph? Wake up, and see that the number of people and cars using this stretch of road has grown exponentially, and older road controls and speed limits need to be updated! And for everyone who is in such a hurry all the time----SLOW DOWN!

Diane wrote on Feb 1, 2007 5:07 PM:WRONG - the homeless man was hit before the roundabout was installed, there were no lights, no crosswalk. I live near there and have personal knowledge of when that man was killed. Get your facts straight!

SDA mom wrote on Feb 1, 2007 5:33 PM:My heart goes out to all the families and students involved. Everyone should write the encinitas city council and ask them to look at this intersection. It sounds like simple improvements can be made to keep our children and residents safe.

Edmond wrote on Feb 1, 2007 5:33 PM:"Deputies will forward their case and recommendations to the district attorney who will decide whether to file charges against the teenager." WHETHER TO FILE CHARGES AGAINST THE TEENAGER? Is there actually a question here? What is WRONG with United States/California law?

another mom wrote on Feb 1, 2007 6:36 PM:I agree totally that the road there needs to be taken care of, but I think that the campus really needs to be closed. It could be done if there were really a will to do so. There's not any good reason that kids need to walk down there at lunch. And the track team needs to quit running through there. Finally parents ought to think about what kind of vehicles they buy for their kids. Two of the fatal accidents with teen drivers in the last month were in big over-powered flashy pickups. They're hard to control, easy to over accelerate, and cause a lot of damage to the victim. It's a big temptation to drive a flashy truck too fast.

another mom wrote on Feb 1, 2007 6:56 PM:I should have added that I contacted the Encinitas traffic people about this intersection, and the need for a light at the freeway offramp, several years ago, and was told it would be taken care of when the traffic calming was done-- well what happened to that? There's also been discussion in past years with the principal about the problem of the kids walking in the street, and the open campus, but the excuse has always been that it can't be closed-- well, a real fence and some rules could go a long way, especially given the dangerous road , it should be done.

TPHS student wrote on Feb 1, 2007 7:08 PM:Ryan Hwang was a friend to many Torrey Pines High School students. As a memorial, we have asked everyone that knew him to wear either black (american tradition) or white (chinese tradion - symbolizes purity) on Friday, February 2, 2007. Feel free to join if you want. TPHS will always remember Ryan to be a great person.

Robin wrote on Feb 1, 2007 7:11 PM:The school should have been complaining to the city all along. They need to be the voice of the children. Shame on you San Dieguito High School District...Shame on you !

A sad parent wrote on Feb 1, 2007 7:27 PM:My son, who is a freshman at SDA, came home from his winning basketball game but he was not smiling. He told me there was an accident and Ryan was killed. Ryan was in his science class in middle school. He said we all go out during lunch time but yesterday he had B'ball practice so he did not go but a good friend of his went and he saw the accident. All evening he was pretty shaken up.He said Ryan was very nice and polite kid. I, along with my family pray to god to give strength to Ryan's mom and his brother to get through this tragic time. I agree with many other readers that something needs to be done at that deadly intersection.

reader wrote on Feb 1, 2007 7:33 PM:how many more children need to be hit by reckless drivers before the city of encinitas does something about the reckless traffic

Robin representing "PALS" wrote on Feb 1, 2007 7:52 PM:I am a senior at SDA and i am one of 11 "PALS" (student counselors). Today was first time i felt the whole school had come together. It's so sad that it had to be such a tragic event to do so. Being in the counsoling office all day, you see a lot of people, a lot of confusion, a lot of shock, some frustration, and a lot of crying. I think everyone just wanted to wake up from a god awful dream that no one was ready for. Today people got the message that Hollywood tries to do in every action, drama, tragedy movie and never succeeds. Watching it on T.V. is one thing, sitting in class and watching your teacher slowly move her watery eyes from the computer screen and start to cry is another. We all knew. The generation of technology spoke out through a text message chain that was in loving memory of Ryan. "Myspace" is completley swamped with peoples thoughts, sorrows, and memories. All dedicated to one person, but the message is to the whole community. There was a moment of silence today in front of our library at the begguining of lunch. (Organized and thought of by students & friends i may add)People from all classes wheather they knew him or not. Today i saw somthing that words cant describe. I may have a limited vocablary but today all i know is there was more then just a student, staff, and faculty filled school, it was a school filled with what us humans call allegiance. A citizen was lost, but most certainly not forgotten. -Robin-

SDHS Alumni Parent of High School Senior wrote on Feb 1, 2007 7:52 PM:words can not express my sadness. Would Sidewalks have prevented this tradgey? No. Would a closed campus have prevented this tradgey. Probably not. Would better driver education have made a difference. I think so. Parents...the most dangerous thing you can do is put your kid behind the wheel. Make sure they are ready.

sad wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:05 PM:i wish you all would stop blaming this on people. it was NOBODYS FAULT. yes, maybe it wouldnt have happened if this and that and blah, blah, blah, but the fact is, ryan is no longer with us. i knew him fairly well and no amount of blame on anybody can fix what happened. its not like closing the SDA campus will stop people from walking there. this is noot the place to be arguing over whos fault this is, and you should feel ashamed of yourself. imagine how ryans family and friends feel. its like you are using this as an exuse to get mad at the city council and this and that.

Write to Encinitas City Council about Santa Fe Drive wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:16 PM:This was a horrible tragedy. It may have been prevented if there were sidewalks and a signal light at the freeway off-ramp onto Santa Fe. Please demand that the Encinitas City Council upgrade Santa Fe Drive before the many projects planned along the street come into being. Santa Fe isn't safe for pedestrians and cyclists at its current traffic levels. It will be truly tragic if more accidents like this need to happen before the city will do anything about this very dangerous road.

stacy wrote on Feb 1, 2007 8:33 PM:This is a horrible tradgedy, but you've got to stop blaming the city. This should be a wake up call to all young drivers. As teenagers we all do stupid things behind the wheel. Unfortunately, for this driver, he will have this horrible tradgedy etched in his mind forever. My prayers go to the 17 year old driver and his family, and especially to Ryan and his family. God called him home yesterday...life is precious and short. I agree...a traffic light is the way to go...and also let's re-educate our teens on driving. Driver's Ed. was a semester long class years ago...young driver's today don't get the same education. God Bless you Ryan. Rest in Peace

Diane wrote on Feb 1, 2007 9:52 PM:I have read all the posts to this article in which all have so eloquently expressed their thoughts. I hoped that Ryan's family can take some comfort in the realization that his death is not going to be forgotten. My son knew him, and his friends, Anthony and Steele were walking just behind Ryan. Anthony pulled Steele out of the way, and on My Space, expressed his sorrow that he could not save Ryan also. Anthony is a hero. We must all be heros too. Yes, it is a tragedy that could have been prevented. Encinitas had done a Traffic Calming study over 1 1/2 years ago. This area was part of that study. Residents on Devonshire, and those living on other at-risk streets, have pleaded with the City Council to put traffic safety first. Is your street on the list? You need to find out. Also, do you feel safe if your children, mother, relatives are pedestrians on the at-risk streets? We need to take action now. Let the lawyers deal with blame, but united proactive actions have more clout with the City Council. We are trying to organize a protest over the City Council's failure to put traffic safety as a top priority -- I won't bore you with the last 7 years of appearing before the City Council addressing this very issue. Will you join us? If so, please contact ... Thank you for your consideration and keep safe.

Nobody"s fault? wrote on Feb 1, 2007 10:40 PM:There are no "traffic accidents" unless you are talking about acts of god, such an earthquake that splits the highway pass in two (Northridge). Traffic collisions occur because of negligence - speeding, traveling too closely, not watching where you are going, etc. A car is a weapon, that is why there needs to be proper traffic control and protection for pedestrians. It is not an "accident' just because you didn't mean the result. Results are foreseeable -- if I run a stop sign I could hit someone. Blame is appropriate in order to prevent tragedies. I don't know what the driver of the car was doing or if he contributed at all to the collision, but I do know the existing street conditions constituted a dangerous condition -- pedestrians forced to walk in the street - take a look for yourself. There are no sidewalks. Was it the pedestrian's fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Ludicrous. This is an area where pedestrians travel and pedestrians in this state have the right of way. It is the duty of the City to ensure that our pedestrian access is safe. How many more "accidents" must happen before the citizens say enough is enough.

Diane you're wrong wrote on Feb 1, 2007 10:50 PM:The man was hit in a construction zone, you know those orange cones and signs? It was a construction zone because changes were already being made to Santa Fe. You think a roundabout was designed and constructed in months in response to the hit and run. You need to check your timeline, ...

SDA Mom wrote on Feb 2, 2007 6:53 AM:My heart aches for all who have been touched by this tragedy. How about changing the Weds. lunch from 1 hour to 1/2 hour. Perhaps that will discourage off-campus lunches. Less kids on unsafe pedestrian routes. Switch back when the roads are made safer.

Ann wrote on Feb 2, 2007 1:33 PM:Multiple responses are required to reduce the chances of future driving tragedies. Students should have adequate food on campus, and be required to stay on campus. SDUHSD is rarity in having open campus. Wednesday is just longer lunch, but students can leave any day. Adequate sidewalks are of course also essential. But a sidewalk doesn't protect from a young driver. Fewer trips reduce risk. Open lunches also get kids into risky behaviors, especially providing a time to get hooked on cigarettes. Write the school board! Speak up at the School Board meetings. Our kids deserve a safe place to learn. We are giving them too much freedom too soon.

Been There wrote on Feb 2, 2007 1:38 PM:My prayers go out to those affected by this tragedy. Shortening the lunch period, however, is not the solution. Having taught at SDA/SDHS for sixteen years when the lunch period was 35 minutes in length, I know that it did not discourage students from leaving campus. It just caused them to hurry and take reckless chances. The same problem still exists at TPHS and LCCHS where the distance to eateries is even further. The SDUHSD's unenforced "closed campus" policies at TPHS and LCCHS and reductions in campus supervisory staff are "an accident waiting to happen." It's a budget issue for the superintendent. It's a life-and-death issue for those who travel near the campuses.

Denise wrote on Feb 2, 2007 6:34 PM: As a parent of a teenage boy at SDA, I feel that this tragic accident will have far reaching effects. My hope is that, as awful as this accident is, some good effects will result from its happening. A good effect, from this tragedy, would be for the city of Encinitas to take the Long Needed Step to provide a Safe pedestrian crossing at the I-5/Santa Fe Drive intersection. This intersection, eventhough it is not safely delineated, Is an unmarked crosswalk. Pedestrians, on Santa Fe, wishing to cross East and West, have no other place to cross. Having said all this, I now can only pray that the city does what is, and has long been, necessary to keep pedestrians safe at the I-5/Santa Fe Drive intersection. Unfortunately Sherrif Webb's current statements, along with the City of Encinitas' historic inaction, bode ill for remedying this unsafe crossing. My prayers go out to the friends and family of the student killed as well as the friends and family of the teenage driver. Please, let's not allow a tragic accident like this to happen again! As citizens of Encinitas let's come together to lobby for a safe City for pedestrians and motorists!

Denise, a Mom of SDA student wrote on Feb 2, 2007 7:03 PM:Hurray DIANNNE!! I will be glad to join you in lobbying the City of Encinitas. It's Past Time, Tragically Past Time, that this intersection be made safe. The city has spent countless days and lots of money to "calm" trafic just a few feet West of this infinately greater traveled, deadly, and dangerous intersection. Let's make safety the top priority when the City of Encinitas spends our money!

Ken wrote on Feb 3, 2007 2:50 PM:The most unsafe thing involved in killing Ryan was the teen driver of the truck. It is too bad that traffic conditions and virtually everything else except the driver of the truck is being named as the problem. Blame it on Global Warming.

John E wrote on Feb 3, 2007 4:57 PM:This tragedy is not about open or closed campuses or about the presence or absence of sidewalks. It IS about a street badly in need of traffic calming and a reduced speed limit, about a young motorist with either too much testosterone or too little knowledge of physics, and about a very promising life cut short.

Marco wrote on Feb 3, 2007 7:43 PM:My condolences to both families; such a tragic event to have to live through. My prayers go to the Hwang family, and to all of SDA. Rest in Peace Ryan, you will be missed.

Leah wrote on Feb 4, 2007 5:58 AM:Where is the Encinitas Citizens Brigade when you really need them. Should they not be bombarding the City Council meetings with complaints about safe streets? No instead they decide to attack day laborers. Wake up ECB's your City has bigger problems then men standing around looking for work. A young man is dead in your city, I am sorry for this death. I hope the driver of this vehicle gets charged with vehicular manslaughter and pays for his crime. Oh but by the analogy of the ECB's the death of Ryan Hwang will lead to the next question was he an illegal alien? I bet if the kid driving the car is Latino he will be held to the full extent of the law if not he will not. Those are just the facts as disgusting at they are.

John wrote on Feb 4, 2007 11:21 AM:Another sad story, My heart goes out to the familys of this incident, Both familys. Open campus? BIG MISTAKE, When I was attending High School in the 60s(urgg!! i dated myself) it took an act of God to get an off campus pass, And I lived accross the street from school.About the only way you got a pass is if you went home sick or were on a work credit program. Have the schools lost ther minds?The inmates are running the asylum?

Nancy wrote on Feb 4, 2007 10:11 PM:People have been driving wreckless for years around this area. As a resident, I've watched people drive straight through solid red lights w/out slowing down(luckily no one happened to be in harms's way), make illegal right turns from the left lane, race, speed through neighborhood streets, the list goes on....It's about time the city does something drastic and put more cops on the road. The rest of us still have to live here.

San Marcos High Mom wrote on Feb 11, 2007 8:00 PM:To Ryan's Family: I'm so sorry for your loss. I wanted to cry when I heard about it. You've been in my thoughts and prayers.

Cyrex wrote on Mar 8, 2007 9:15 PM:Ryan played a game called World of Warcraft, and for the longest time he was a member of a guild in which i led. He was a good kid and will be missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to his mother and brother.

Sheri wrote on Aug 7, 2007 12:35 PM:I just found out about this last night. Ryan was our next door neighbor until he was about 10. He and my daughter attended preschool together and were like "brother and sister" for many years. He was a smart, happy, friendly boy who always had a smile on his face, and brought a smile to everyone's face. They featured a picture of him and my daughter together, smiling and laughing in the YMCA camp brochure. He was the poster-kid of "happy go lucky." He was also very bright and did extremely well in school. We have very fond memories of Ryan. We also loved his family. Then they moved to Carlsbad. We kept in touch a little bit, and tragically, the last time we saw Ryan was at his father's funeral. I remember hugging Ryan as he was crying - telling him "You WILL be okay." These were the last words I spoke to him. Ryan has TWO brothers. I cannot express my sadness for them and for Patricia - who has lost a husband, a son, and before that, her mother - all in tragic - too early deaths. I pray for Patricia and her two sons and send my heartfelt love and support. I'm so sorry. The only slight bit of comfort is that now Vince's death (Ryan's father) makes more sense - it was to be there to greet Ryan when he made his transition.