Residents, city leaders push for safety solutions after deadly crash in Park Hill

CARS IN THE AREA NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, MOUTH ON THE GROUND BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW A CAR COULD DO THAT MUCH DAMAGE TO SOME STONES. IT’S CRAZY TO BE DAMONTE BURNS IS STILL IN SHOCK AFTER A DRIVER SLAMMED INTO HIS HOUSE AND TWO OTHERS ON WILSON AVENUE SUNDAY MORNING. THE IMPACT KNOCKED HIS RAILINGS OFF BUT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, INCLUDING A ROOF COLLAPSE TO HIS NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE. THEY WERE HOME AT THE TIME, BUT TELL WLKY NO ONE WAS INJURED. WE OBTAINED HOME SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWING THE MOMENTS FOLLOWING THE CRASH AS DRIVERS STOPPED TO TRY AND HELP. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DRIVER DIED ON SCENE, ACCORDING TO POLICE, THE MAN WAS SPEEDING WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. BURNS AND OTHER NEIGHBORS SAY CARS RACING THROUGH THIS RESIDENTIAL AREA OF PARK HILL IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE. MY FAMILY GOT STORIES OF PEOPLE TELLING ME ABOUT HOW THEY JUST BE HITTING THE STEPS OVER ALL THE TIME, HOW MULTIPLE HOUSES BE GETTING HIT BECAUSE EVERYBODY BE FLYING AROUND THIS CURB. I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MANY TERRIBLE ACCIDENTS FROM PEOPLE NOT STOPPING AT THE STOP SIGN OR JUST, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS SAY THIS CHURCH ON WILSON AVENUE IS STILL BOARDED UP AFTER A CAR CRASHED INTO IT LAST YEAR. BUT THIS STRETCH OF WILSON AVENUE NEAR 22ND STREET IS ALSO A SCHOOL ZONE. MARY TENNISON, WHO HAS LIVED HERE OVER A DECADE, WORRIES ABOUT THE STUDENTS GOING TO AND FROM JOHNSON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND KIDS WHO LIVE IN PLAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. TENNISON SAYS CHANGE NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO MAKE THE STREETS IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER, EVEN IF IT MEANS PETITIONING FOR IT HERSELF. GIVE ME THE BOARD AND THE PEN OUT. YES. HOLLY. MISS MARY, NOW, RESIDENTS SUGGEST THE CITY PUTS SPEED BUMPS IN FOUR WAY STOP SIGNS AT BUSY INTERSECTIONS. THAT’S GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY STOP IN THEIR TRACKS, MAKE SURE THEY DON’T HIT NOBODY. HOUSE MAN. AND AS THEY WAIT FOR SOLUTIONS, TENNISON OFFERS DRIVERS COMMON SENSE ADVICE SLOW DOWN AND PAY ATTENTION. BE MORE CONSIDERATE. BE BE MORE CONCERNED OF YOUR OWN LIFE, OF YOUR OWN LIFE. FROM PARK HILL, ALEXIS MATTHEWS W WLKY NEWS. METRO COUNCILMAN PHILIP BAKER, WHO REPRESENTS THE AREA, ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING ACCORDING TO LMPD, THE SITUATION IS ACTIVELY UNDER INVESTIGATION. I AM WORKING WITH MAYOR GREENBERG TO FUN

A crash that left a driver dead in Park Hill is reigniting conversations about safer streets.Police say on Sunday, a man lost control of a car that witnesses say was speeding down Wilson Avenue, before striking three homes in the 2300 block.One of the homes hit belongs to Damonte Burns, who, fortunately, was not inside at the time.“My mouth was on the ground because I didn't know a car could do that much damage. It's crazy to me,” Burns said.Burns is still in shock from the tragedy.The impact also knocked his railings off and caused significant damage, including a roof collapse to his neighbor's house. They were home at the time, but told WLKY no one was injured.WLKY obtained home surveillance video showing the moments following the crash as drivers stopped to try and help. Unfortunately, the driver died on scene.Police believe speed was a factor in this crash, but Burns and other neighbors say cars racing through this residential area of Park Hill is a frequent occurrence.“I can't tell you how many terrible accidents happened from people not stopping at the stop sign,” said Mary Tennyson, who has lived in the neighborhood for over a decade.A church on Wilson Avenue is still boarded up after a car crashed into it last year.The stretch of road is also a school zone, which concerns Tennyson about the safety of students going to and from Johnson Middle School, as well as kids who live and play in the neighborhood.It’s why she’s working to petition for safety solutions such as speed bumps and four-way stop signs.The area’s Metro Council representative, Phillip Baker, is also working toward change.In a statement to WLKY, he said: “According to LMPD, this situation is actively under investigation. I am working with Mayor Greenberg to fund solutions to slow speeding on our neighborhood streets, such as speed humps and restricting heavy truck traffic.”As the community waits for these changes to be implemented, Tennyson offers drivers common sense advice: slow down.“Just pay attention, be more considerate, and more concerned of your own life,” she said. The identity of the driver has not yet been released. LMPD’s Traffic Unit is investigating the crash.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

A crash that left a driver dead in Park Hill is reigniting conversations about safer streets.

Police say on Sunday, a man lost control of a car that witnesses say was speeding down Wilson Avenue, before striking three homes in the 2300 block.

One of the homes hit belongs to Damonte Burns, who, fortunately, was not inside at the time.

“My mouth was on the ground because I didn't know a car could do that much damage. It's crazy to me,” Burns said.

Burns is still in shock from the tragedy.

The impact also knocked his railings off and caused significant damage, including a roof collapse to his neighbor's house. They were home at the time, but told WLKY no one was injured.

WLKY obtained home surveillance video showing the moments following the crash as drivers stopped to try and help. Unfortunately, the driver died on scene.

Police believe speed was a factor in this crash, but Burns and other neighbors say cars racing through this residential area of Park Hill is a frequent occurrence.

“I can't tell you how many terrible accidents happened from people not stopping at the stop sign,” said Mary Tennyson, who has lived in the neighborhood for over a decade.

A church on Wilson Avenue is still boarded up after a car crashed into it last year.

The stretch of road is also a school zone, which concerns Tennyson about the safety of students going to and from Johnson Middle School, as well as kids who live and play in the neighborhood.

It’s why she’s working to petition for safety solutions such as speed bumps and four-way stop signs.

The area’s Metro Council representative, Phillip Baker, is also working toward change.

In a statement to WLKY, he said: “According to LMPD, this situation is actively under investigation. I am working with Mayor Greenberg to fund solutions to slow speeding on our neighborhood streets, such as speed humps and restricting heavy truck traffic.”

As the community waits for these changes to be implemented, Tennyson offers drivers common sense advice: slow down.

“Just pay attention, be more considerate, and more concerned of your own life,” she said.

The identity of the driver has not yet been released.

LMPD’s Traffic Unit is investigating the crash.

Residents, city leaders push for safety solutions after deadly crash in Park Hill

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