Encinitas locals call for road safety emergency after 12-year-old killed in crash

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Encinitas residents are questioning why the city council didn’t include a road safety state of emergency item on its agenda, as the city council previously discussed. This comes after 12-year-old Emery Chalekian was struck and killed while crossing a crosswalk. Her family is now preparing to take legal action against the city.

An active Friday on Encinitas Boulevard and Village Square Drive, the intersection where Emery Chalekian was struck and killed by a car. The family and local supporters say the city had initially planned to vote on a road safety state of emergency, but when the city council returned for its meeting on Wednesday, the topic wasn't brought up.

Laura Van Dusen is one of many in Encinitas pushing for change.

"I know that everybody wants people to be safe, and everybody wants children to be safe, but we have not seen any action," said Laura Van Dusen, an Encinitas resident.

"It would be really helpful if they called a state of emergency," she said.

Van Dusen and others were hopeful the city council would approve a state of emergency for road safety at its most recent meeting.

“At the last meeting, the city council voted to have a state of emergency on the next agenda. I came home that day and told my kids the city was doing something,” Van Dusen said.

But when the council met Wednesday after recess, the item wasn't on the agenda.

“We don’t know why. It’s a mystery. We’d love to get an answer for that," Rebecca Troyan, another Encinitas resident said.

We reached out to the city to ask why the item was removed from the agenda. In a statement, the city reiterated its commitment to street safety and said:

“The City is aware that the law enforcement investigation is continuing and that no report detailing the findings or conclusions of such investigation have been produced to date. To the extent that a claim has been presented to the City in connection with that incident, the City cannot comment on the pending claim and threat of litigation." -- City of Encinitas.

“I just want every child to feel safe,” Van Dusen said. “This isn’t about one or two people — it’s about the entire community of Encinitas. Little things like flashing lights around pedestrian crosswalk signs could make a big difference."

In the meantime, Encinitas is working to improve road safety with more deputies on the streets. The city’s Leading Pedestrian Interval project, launched in 2023, is still being rolled out to make crosswalks safer. At the intersection where Emery was killed, the plan includes high-visibility crosswalks, enhanced signage, and improved lighting.

But for residents like Van Dusen, more action is needed.

"This is so important. I have children who live here, and I want them to be safe," Van Dusen said. "I want to be able to tell them, 'Look, your city cares, and you are safe.'"

As of now, the road safety state of emergency item is not on next week's city council agenda.