Woman killed crossing Central Avenue

A 19-year-old motorist was arrested late Tuesday after he allegedly struck and killed an elderly Burbank woman in North Glendale while under the influence of marijuana, police said.

The 81-year-old woman, Kenarik Thomassian Shamlian, was pronounced dead in the 1100 block of North Central Avenue, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s spokesman Ed Winter.

Shamlian was crossing west on Central Avenue about 11 p.m. when the motorist, who police identified as Armen Avanesian, was headed south on the same street, striking her with his 2005 Toyota Camry, Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Shamlian — who Lorenz said was jaywalking at the time she was struck — died at the scene.

Avanesian, who was not speeding, remained at the scene, where police asked him to perform a battery of drug recognition tests, which often include monitoring pulse rates and examining someone’s blood pressure and temperature, Lorenz said.

Soon after Avanesian performed the tests, police determined he was under the influence of marijuana, he said. Officers also obtained a blood sample from Avanesian.

He was arrested and released as police continued to investigate the crash, Lorenz said.

Once the investigation is completed, officers will present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Shamlian’s death is the first pedestrian fatality in Glendale this year.

Kourkin Anouchian, 83, of Glendale was killed December last year after he was walking about 4:10 p.m. in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection when motorist Sana Hussein, 40, failed to stop and struck him with her minivan, police said.

His death was the second traffic-related fatality in 2012, according to police.

Car passenger Yeghisha Keshishian, 88, of Glendale, died of injuries sustained on Nov. 5 after her daughter allegedly drove through a red light at Central Avenue and Chevy Chase Drive and struck another car, police said.

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