1 year ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - As portion of an $11 cardinal concern into Southwest Fresno, metropolis officials accidental a way volition beryllium renamed to grant a teen who was killed successful a DUI hit-and-run collision.
Monday afternoon, metropolis officials broke crushed connected 2 large projects, the Southwest Fresno Trail and the MLK Active Transportation Infrastructure (ATI) projects. The projects volition amended pedestrian and cycling infrastructure for the southwest portion of Fresno by upgrading roads, postulation signals, lighting and more.
"Our imaginativeness each on has been to guarantee that West Fresno became the vicinity wherever you could spell from caput commencement assemblage without having to permission your neighborhood," said Councilmember Miguel Arias.
In March, Arias says the assembly volition instrumentality enactment toward renaming the Southwest Fresno Trail aft 15-year-old Rashad Al-Hakim Jr., who was killed by repetition DUI operator 40-year-old Lisa Spoors.
Court records authorities connected Oct. 4, 2022, Spoors deed Rashad arsenic helium was crossing the thoroughfare from Hoover High School and fled the scene. Spoors was yet recovered to beryllium driving nether the power of some illicit and medicine substances, portion Rashad would combat for his beingness successful the infirmary earlier succumbing to his injuries.
"I've been trying to bash a batch to combat for justice. I don't consciousness similar justness was served astatine court," said Ragina Bell, Rashad's mother.
The 2-year ineligible conflict that followed caused strife among Rashad's family aft Spoors' archetypal charges of execution and DUI were downgraded, contempt being Spoor's 2nd DUI complaint since 2008. In April 2024, Spoors was sentenced to 5 years successful prison; however, with 860 days of clip credit, Spoors lone served 16 months.
"There was things that were done to assistance support his representation alive. There was a mural painted, it was covered. There was a memorial spot successful beforehand of his schoolhouse crossed the street— the candles were destroyed, the flowers, the sanction plate— everything was destroyed. Why? I don't know," Bell expressed.
Bell says she is grateful to person a imperishable mode to commemorate the representation of her son.
"When metropolis assembly reached retired to maine astir renaming the way aft my son, it brought a feeling to maine similar this thing that can't beryllium erased. It's permanent, it's a portion of Fresno and helium is simply a portion of Fresno," she expressed.
Mayor Jerry Dyer says the $4.1 cardinal concern into the way volition see a paved asphalt path, caller lighting, ADA ramps, and caller landscaping, including the summation of 102 caller trees.
Altogether, Dyer says some projects adhd up to a full of $11 cardinal invested into southwest Fresno.
