Woman sues LA after being struck by car on Hollywood street where tents block sidewalk

LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- A woman is suing the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, and the state of California, alleging all share liability for injuries she received when she was hit by a car in 2020 after being forced to walk on the street in Hollywood because a homeless encampment blocked her
access to a sidewalk.

Debra Todd's Los Angeles Superior Court negligence suit was brought Monday and seeks unspecified damages. A representative for the City Attorney's Office could not be immediately reached.
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Todd was walking through the sprawling homeless encampment'' along North Gower Street, north of Yucca Street, under the Hollywood (101) Freeway last Oct. 4 when she had to step onto the street because there was no room left to stay on the sidewalk, the suit states.

Todd was hit by a vehicle going south on Gower by a driver who had no warning of a collection of homeless people so large that people were forced to walk on the street, the suit states.

"The sprawling encampment also obstructed (Todd's) view of the oncoming driver, and vice versa, immediately before the impact,'' the suit states.

According to the suit, Todd suffered injuries to her head, leg, arm, hip, and back. All of the defendants were aware the encampment and the dangerous condition it created had existed for a long time, yet they failed to warn Todd and other members of the public, according to the suit.

MORE | Los Feliz residents install planters at site of former homeless encampment

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