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Neighbors demand stop sign after second fatal accident at intersection

Posted at 9:18 PM, Oct 30, 2012
and last updated 2012-10-30 21:18:01-04

HENRICO, Va. (WTVR)--Henrico police say that Sunday nights scooter accident was thesecond fatal accident on Laburnum, at the Seven Gables apartment complex, since June, when two people were killed and a one-year-old child was thrown from a car and severely injured.

The accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday night, when a scooter and a Chrysler car collided. When neighbors came outside they saw a sheet covering the male rider of the scooter. 

The scooter was lying on its side, with the driver's helmet about 10 feet from the body. 

The two deadly crashes have shaken neighbors who use the intersection daily. 

"It's real dangerous at the intersection,” said Charles Mabry. 

Neighbors say that they see people speeding through the intersection all the time, and that a stop light is badly needed. Some neighbors are scared to cross the street on foot even. 

John Cejka, Henrico’s Assistant Traffic Engineer, said that a signal study was done after the first accident and that "it did not meet the warrants for a traffic signal." Cejka said their findings are based on the number of accidents and traffic volume.

But after what happened last weekend – Cejka believes the county may take a second look.

"We'd be more than happy to do some speed studies to determine what the speeds are out there to see if the speed limit needs to be adjusted,” said Cejka.

County leaders say another study of that area will take up to six weeks. Traffic Engineers will determine if the appropriate speed limit signs are posted and the number of cars and accidents meet the criteria for a traffic signal.

Right now, Henrico police can't say why a woman driving a Chrysler 300 collided with the scooter that evening. We will have more updates as they become available.