Politics & Government

Family Of Teen Hit By Car In Wildomar Files Claim Against City

On the afternoon of Aug. 16, 2011, Kaitlyn Parra was struck by a Mitsubishi Lancer on Prielipp Road in Wildomar after exiting an RTA bus at a posted stop.

An attorney representing a teen who was struck by a car in Wildomar is claiming the city owes his client monetary compensation because she “was negligently and improperly transported to a dangerous and unsafe location near a poorly located bus stop.”

City staff disagrees and is recommending that its city council members reject the claim.

At the time of the incident, Cpl. Courtney Donowho, spokeswoman for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, said the teen exited the bus, walked in front of it, and was struck by the car that was traveling westbound on Prielipp.  

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Kaitlyn was 16 at the time of the incident.

According to the claim filed on behalf of Kaitlyn and her parents by San Diego-based Ritter and Associates, the teen “suffered severe and serious head injuries as well as fractured legs … and was in a coma for about two months.”

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“The RTA bus stop constituted a dangerous and unsafe condition at its location and was improperly utilized and sited as a RTA bus stop location,” according to the claim.

“… Wildomar allegedly approved, sanctioned and permitted the siting of the bus stop … ,” the claim continued.

A call to Ritter and Associates was not immediately returned.

Wildomar City Council will consider the claim June 13 during its regularly scheduled meeting that begins at 6:30 p.m. at 23873 Clinton Keith Road. (Click here to read the full agenda.)

Shortly after the incident, community members numbering in the hundreds rallied in support of the Parra family during a candlelight vigil. ( to read that story.) Then during the Murrieta Valley High School homecoming game last September, special tribute was paid to Kaitlyn, who was a student senior at the school.

“For the last six weeks, we bonded to support Kaitlyn and her family,” said Carol Stickles, a Murrieta-based family friend. Stickles made her comments prior to the big game. “Kaitlyn remains in stable condition in the ICU and continues to slowly show progress. As a community, we continue to pray and help as much as we can,” Stickles said at the time.

To help the family with medical expenses, Stickles and others spearheaded a fundraising campaign that kicked off at the game. to read more about that effort.


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