La Habra Boy Killed While Crossing Street

Anthony William Sheehan was an aggressive, outgoing child--”definitely a leader, not a follower,” said Susie Brooks, remembering the boy who took a walk to a store near his home and never came back

Anthony, a center fielder for a youth team and an avid collector of baseball cards, will be greatly missed, said Brooks and other neighbors Thursday while standing in the courtyard of the Pasa Granada apartment complex.

On Wednesday, the 11-year-old set out for a neighborhood grocery store to buy water. While trying to cross Whittier Boulevard at busy Idaho Street, he was struck by a 1986 Oldsmobile Delta, La Habra police spokeswoman Cindy Knapp said. He was pronounced dead at Friendly Hills Regional Medical Center at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday night.

Anthony, who would have entered fifth grade in the fall at Walnut School, was heading to Hughes Market in the 1300 block on West Whittier Boulevard, Knapp said.

Witnesses told police that Anthony ran across the eastbound lanes and stopped for a brief moment on the center divider, Knapp said. But the boy then dashed across the street against a red “Don’t Walk” signal, she said.

The driver, who was identified as Brian Wayne MacDonald, 23, of Whittier, told traffic investigators that he was traveling at about 40 m.p.h. west on Whittier and did not see the boy.

“Our initial investigation shows that he (Anthony) hit the car before the car hit him,” Knapp said. Knapp said a doctor who saw the accident administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation before paramedics arrived. The driver was not cited and an investigation is under way, she said.

Anthony’s parents, Sean and Terri, a sister, Nicole, 6, and one-month-old brother, Timothy, are staying with relatives, said Mary Oden, a family friend.

“They’re taking it pretty bad. We’re going to try to help them out a little bit. They were taking it pretty hard this morning.”

Anthony had a big collection of baseball cards, said his friend, Jason Rollins, 9.

“He was a nice kid and shared a lot. Everyone’s kind of sad because he died,” Jason said.

ORANGE COUNTY PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS Deaths 1985: 53 1989: 69 Injuries 1985: 922 1989: 1,096 Source: California Highway Patrol