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March 28
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir


wyattsavaikie2015The parents of a 14-year-old boy struck and killed by a driver who ran a red light in Saugus are suing Santa Clarita for negligence surrounding their son’s death.

Teresa and Michael Savaikie initially filed their lawsuit against both the city and Ralph Steger, the 75-year-old driver who pleaded no contest over their son Wyatt’s death Monday.

Read the full story [here].

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64 Comments

  1. Obviously the man has no regard for human life, he was convicted of killing his own daughter. He should never be let out of jail, instead he got a slap on the wrist. Disgusting.

  2. He should be in jail way longer.. especially with his past conviction in mind.

  3. This isn’t the city’s fault.

  4. Are you kidding this guy is getting that jail time…where is the justice

  5. Sophie Sidky Sophie Sidky says:

    This story is sad all around. ?

  6. Ralph Green Ralph Green says:

    The guy killed a 14 year old and pleads not guilty and he only gets 60 days? I know people who got more time for a lot less. The family has every right to seek justice for their son

  7. Why sue the city ?Money won’t bring him back

  8. Brad Johnson Brad Johnson says:

    The city had just recently removed all the red light cameras. That intersection was completely covered before. Maybe the guy thought he wouldn’t get a ticket if he ran the red.

  9. I’m disgusted by this outcome! Take it to civil court and go to trial

  10. I did more time fighting in my juvinile years almost a year wtf

  11. I hope this boy’s family gets what their fighting for. I hope the city realizes that they too play a role in this situation. There’s too many objects blocking the views of pedestrian at most intersections throughout the SCV.

  12. Ashley Allen Ashley Allen says:

    Im sorry but none of this is gonna bring him back. This was a terrible tragedy but part of the grieving process is letting go. This was an accident. Not the citys fault.

    • Halle Aragon Halle Aragon says:

      By suing, maybe the city will open its eyes to what is wrong with this intersection. A boy should NOT have to lose his life for changes to be made. Proud of his family for stepping up, and trying to make sure no one ends up like their child.

    • Ashley Allen Ashley Allen says:

      It was an accident. How did the city have anything to do with it?

    • Amy Kimes Amy Kimes says:

      It was an accident. The family can sue the city (because their lawyer wants a payday) but all that does is make all the city pay. That means you and I (taxpayers) will pay for it. I didn’t cause the accident. The guy ran a red light. That is driver error, not city error. Explain how the city would fix the intersection. What’s wrong with it? What changes should be made? I know that I can clearly see what color the light is from any angle when I’m at the intersection.

    • It wasn’t an accident. Speeding and running a red light is not an accident, it’s breaking the law. And as a result a person has died.

    • Adam Nutt Adam Nutt says:

      I’m going to sue the city! Statistics show that city with a grid pattern has less accidents and fatalities! So I’m hiring a lawyer to go after the pioneers that settled the valley and awesometown has a horribly planned out city with street going eveywhere with no logic!

    • Lucy Romero Lucy Romero says:

      Alejandro Navia thank you!

    • Ashley Allen Ashley Allen says:

      Alejandro Navia yeah im pretty sure the man did not wake up and say “im gonma kill a kid today that sounds like fun”… please leave.

  13. this isn’t the cities fault it’s the drivers.. no nobody in this town looks both ways .. it’s horrifying trying to cross roads here

  14. It’s not the city’s fault. The city wasn’t driving the car. The person responsible is the one who was driving the car. He was speeding and ran the red light. I’m kinda blown away that he only got 30 days for manslaughter… For his age??? I thought you do the crime you do the time. Doesn’t matter age, race, or sex. He BROKE the law TWICE, speeding and running a red light and by doing so an innocent child was killed! I didn’t know breaking the law was an accident!?!
    My prayers go out to this family for healing and peace.

    • Gee Hud Gee Hud says:

      Was the driver under the influence?

    • Gee Hud it didn’t state he was under the influence. Just breaking the law. Twice. Speeding and running a red light.

    • I was there I saw the whole thing. It is so unfair how so many people have something to say when they don’t even know. The people who write on it weren’t there either so how do you know what you read is true? I read so many articles that were completely wrong! Believe me I feel bad for everyone who has suffered from the whole thing.

    • Well then Bernice, was the city driving the car?

    • Did I say they were? Did I say it was the city’s foult? How does anyone even know or think they know that he ran a red light? It’s so sad that both side are going through so much and that a bunch of wrong things are being said. I called 911 I used my vehicle to block the body and one other vehicles. I don’t get why people who I never saw there now are claiming to know what happened Elkie Whitmore

    • Bernice Estrada so was the child j-walking??? You were there, so was he crossing the street on a no walk signal?? Wait, let me answer that for you, HE WASN’T! ALL reports state the man ran the red light AND was speeding! Or are ALL the reports and investigators wrong??? You seem to KNOW, so please enlighten everyone. Also, I’m sorry you had to witness that. Glad you were their to help. Even how hard that must have been. I also have witnessed a child get struck by a drunk driver while the child was crossing the street in the crosswalk. Heartbreaking.

    • Lucy Romero Lucy Romero says:

      Bernice shells cameras recorded and that is good evidence. Why do I know this? Because I work there and saw the video.

    • Lucy Romero Lucy Romero says:

      Bernice Shell’s cameras recorded what happened, and that is good evidence. Why do I know this? Because I work there and saw the video.

    • Nobody said he was drunk. Feel bad for both families but what did the city have to do with anything?

    • Lucy Romero I’m so glad to hear that there is. So I’m sure you saw me going in there after. I truly don’t want to discuss anything because I’m not trying to prove anyone wrong. I wish people knew how hard it has been I also had a 3 year old with a fractured foot who till this day wants me to tell him why that happened to the boy. He remembers where it happened. All I’m saying is people need to stop saying things and judging. I honestly would like to talk to you in private if you don’t mind.

    • Janet Ryan Janet Ryan says:

      The lights out here all off in timing. I see it all the time you can roll on the sensors & make them change. If you haven’t been in an accident at one of the F’d up lights out here shut your mouth. And if you don’t know that light shut your mouth too.

  15. Trevor Linam Trevor Linam says:

    This is a good of example of a double standard. Had the driver not been an old Caucasian male, he probably would have gotten 10+ years. It’s vehicular manslaughter not petty theft. The rules have been bent completely in this case.

  16. Gee Hud Gee Hud says:

    The city??? How is it their fault? Too too frivolous.

  17. TO THE STAFF OF SCVTV: Jesus! You guys won’t let this kid rest in peace and allow his family to have some freaking privacy!!!!!!! STOP REPORTING THIS STORY AND ALLOW THE FAMILY TO GO THROUGH THIS PRIVATELY INSTEAD OF FREAKING PLASTERING IT ALL OVER FACEBOOK!!!! THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH ENOUGH!!!!! Have a freaking heart!!!!!!!

  18. I understand filing a lawsuit against the driver. Filing a lawsuit against the city just seems like someone is going after deeper pockets.

  19. Yeah sue the city.. Smh

  20. Ann Hustis Ann Hustis says:

    Not a good idea !!

  21. Shirley says:

    I am sorry, he was speeding and ran a red light. Give him a longer sentence. This young man did everything right…RIP

  22. What was the kid doing when he got hit?????

  23. I’m sorry I know this family very well there not out for money justice is what there looking for this man killed his own child his wife killed a three year old girl ..he broke the law prior to this and skates out of killing another innocent child I’m sorry sue everyone as far as I’m concerned someone needs to make an example of this injustice

  24. Teresa Savaikie says:

    The red-light cameras demonstrated there for four straight years, month after month Seco and Bouquet had more red light traffic tickets issued then any other intersection in this valley. What was wrong was removing them without figuring out why so many people ran that light, in that particular lane. The city had those statistics, evidently did not review them and removed the ONLY deterrent to red-light runners, so common along all of our city streets and roads. They did nothing to figure out why so many people ran that light in tat intersection. They did nothing to step up monitoring once they removed the only deterrent there, now my son is gone, do not tell me how illegal the red-light cameras are or were – what is wrong is a city that sits with this information at their fingertips and then fail to address the problem, knowing there is a huge problem, knowing that even if people are not speeding and run that light a pedestrian WILL never survive being hit at 45 miles an hour. Maybe if they were not going to protect our local citizens over here they should of sent us out a warming that reads like this: Dear Community Members and taxpayers we have learned through four years of observance that there is apparently an inherent engineering problem at the intersection of Seco and Bouquet, I am sorry to inform you that we do not care and we are removing the only deterrent to red light drivers. We want you to understand that we do not plan on reviewing this intersection until sometime between 2017 and 2019, So community members, consider yourself warned, Pedestrians are at risk, we do not care enough to do anything about it so we want you to cross at your own will knowing. Consider yourself warned – At Least those of us that never realized how dangerous this road was could have diverted our children from ever using it. Look around, its dangerous out here, so many of us drive like MAD MAX with no regard to what is ahead – we play Russian Roulette with our weapon of choice our vehicles – Why? Because we can, because its just an accepted behavior out here – If only I had known – maybe now you all know, maybe your children will avoid this intersection, God I hope they do, its dangerous and God knows how I wish I had known, how I wish I never let my son cross there – no in spite of all that he was taught – he is gone, so many innocent lives lost out here – I pray you never have to face this loss, I think and I know the cameras made a difference -it was only a few months later that my sons life was taken after they removed the light. It troubles me so much that people complained about them, did not like them, got the city to take them down – I wonder how everyone feels that fought to take the only deterrent to bad driver behavior –

    • Shirley says:

      Teresa Savaikie—I know your tired of hearing this, but it comes from my heart. I am so sorry. I am behind you 100%.

  25. Teresa Savaikie says:

    Thank Shirley it is nice to know that some understand that our city could have done more to protect my son and other pedestrians. I wish people would think about this, if our city knew (as they did) that this intersection had more red-light runners then any other intersection in this valley, nearly every day, always every month and for four years straight. Those red-light cameras were much needed safety measures and deterrent because as we all know – traffic is out of control out here. I am sick and I am tired of everyone complaining first about the red light cameras and then law enforcement officers trying to do their very best to cover, monitor and enforce a valley of mini-freeways with people breaking the laws. That is why we need the cameras – we do not and could never have enough law enforcement officers on the road to monitor all of these dangerous roads 24/7 – it would be impossible – it feels like so many of us want it both ways, we want the high speeds, without law enforcement watching over us, making sure we do not break the laws, making sure innocent people do not lose their lives, even after Wyatt was taken from us – people were complaining when law enforcement started to monitor this intersection, suggesting that law enforcement was only out there to make their monthly quota. We would not have to worry about red-light cameras and law enforcement monitoring and enforcement if we were law abiding drivers. It is a strange mentality to think we have the right to run around breaking all the laws because there is no one watching. On average many drivers regularly exceed these already dangerous speed limits by 10 and 15 miles an hour. What gives us the right to drive like this? To risk the lives of innocent people just because we do not want to wait our turn, just because we think getting home four minutes sooner gives us the right to drive recklessly? Why can’t community members and elected officials make pedestrian safety a priority, is that too much to ask for. I would venture to bet that anyone commenting here, that lost their own child at an intersection, known by the city to be the most dangerous of all, a city that went ahead in spite of four years of statistics proving how dangerous the intersection was – a city that then, in spite of these statistics removed the ONLY safety measure, the RED-Light Cameras – leaving their child, their loved one – laying on the pavement for four hours – lost, never to breath, have a life of his own – tell me how would they all feel – this was avoidable – we all know that Mr. Steger is not the only person that drives like Mad Max, divers regularly play Russian Roulette on our already dangerous roadways – using their car as their weapon of choice and a city that seems to accept that pedestrian deaths just cannot be avoided because the only thing that seems to matter is moving traffic through – never mind and to heck with the pedestrians – and to those that think you ever get over losing a beautiful young child, so full of life, such a protector of many, even when he did not know the child being bullied – he stood up against bullies, he was beautiful inside and out and I would venture to guess that those that regularly think or say – We should just get over it, I suspect they have never loss a child, there is no pain in the world that comes close to losing your own child – we, as a community can do better, we can be caring enough to support road safety, monitoring and enforcement – to make our roads safe for our children – to all of those that have never lost a child in such a sudden, senseless way, I pray you never have to know what it is like to stand in our shoes as we see Wyatt’s friends enter high school, date, go to dances, soon he would be getting his own license – tell me how easy you think it is easy to get over it, or tell me when and how to get over it! My hope and my prayers are to move the city towards making our roads safe for our children, your children, your grand children and loved ones, If our lawsuit saves one child from losing their life, if it saves one family from this brutal heat breaking nightmare then I have honored the lie of Wyatt so that he is not just thought of as a number on a spread sheet but another innocent human taken on the dangerous roads of this community. Honestly, all I can do is honor my son to fight for change and pedestrian justice.

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