Tragedy and Protest by Parents Lead to a New Traffic Signal

Spurred by the outcry of angry parents, a developer has begun installing a traffic signal at an El Toro Road intersection where a 6-year-old boy died in a collision last month.

Residents had urged county officials for months to force installation of a stoplight at the busy intersection. On July 28, Andy Dao was killed when a pickup truck hit the car he was riding in broadsideas it was crossing El Toro Road.

The Baldwin Co., an Irvine developer, citing a delay in the delivery of power poles, had earlier estimated that the signal would be in place by early November. But county traffic engineers were able to find a company that could supply the poles within the next few weeks, according to Ignacio Ochoa, a county traffic engineer. Installation should be completed within three weeks, he said.

About 15 parents and children gathered last week at a park near the intersection to remember Andy and organize a petition drive to pressure the county and the developer into quick action. Neighbors said they were relieved to see construction start this week.

“I’m very angry and very mad that it took this long,” said Phuong Dao, mother of the dead boy. “If they put it in earlier, my boy might be alive. I miss my little boy very much.”

Other neighbors said they were relieved to see construction start this week.

Neighbors’ Pressure

“I’m extremely happy,” said Alan Leingang, who lives on the same street as the Dao family. He said the early start was due to pressure on the county and developer.

“A lot of people put it down, saying it would get installed eventually,” Leingang said. “If things could happen without people dying, it would be great.”

Marilyn Judge, who lives on the same street, said that although she was pleased to see the construction, it still can’t make up for the tragedy.

“This is good for all of us, but it doesn’t bring Andy back,” she said.

Judge said a petition bearing 530 signatures will still be delivered to county officials to underscore the seriousness of residents’ concerns.

“We are waiting to see if they will follow through,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of empty promises.”

The developer had agreed to install the stoplight as part of a contract with the county.

County officials have said that the Baldwin Co. was supposed to have the light installed by March 30. But Baldwin officials said they were delayed because the county’s Environmental Management Agency dragged its feet in approving the developer’s plans.

Although county engineer Ochoa said he wished that the light had been installed earlier, he recognized that delays are sometimes unavoidable.

“It’s an improvement I’m happy about,” he said. “A traffic signal can’t be constructed overnight. Some of the projects just tend to go longer.”

The county had urged the Baldwin Co. to “expedite the situation” after Andy was killed, Ochoa said.

“Naturally, the incident that happened was a catalyst to get them going,” Ochoa said.

No Stop Signs

Andy was riding in a car driven by a family friend, Phung Nguyen, 16, of Lake Forest. Phung had taken Andy and Phung’s brother, Hanh, 9, and sister, Christina, 11, to the beach. She was returning Andy to his parent’s home on Vintage Way just off the Normandale Drive intersection.

There are stop signs at the intersection on Normandale but none on El Toro Road, a six-lane thoroughfare.

Phung drove east on Normandale, stopped at the sign, then tried to cross El Toro. She got across the first three lanes, but was then struck by the pickup truck. The truck’s driver, who was uninjured, was not cited.

Andy died of multiple injuries. Phung suffered a broken right shoulder and cuts, while Christina suffered a spleen injury and Hanh received head injuries.