‘A tale as old as time’ Richmonders call for more traffic enforcement after another driver crashes into home

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A crash into a home at the intersection of Patterson Avenue and Ripley Avenue in Richmond’s West End on Monday morning is just the latest instance of a trend residents of the city are frustrated about.

According to the Richmond Police Department, officers responded to the crash scene at around 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 7. No one was injured and the driver, an unidentified woman, was cited to failing to maintain control of her vehicle.

Residents of Patterson Avenue reached out to 8News about the speeding they say has resulted in several crashes and injuries in the area.

“We’ll hear them in the morning—we’ll hear a loud crash, we’ll all come running out of our house to see where the crash was, who got hit,” said Jim Beckmann, who lives in the city’s West End. “It’s almost a tale as old as time at this point.”

Beckmann told 8News he has been reaching out to the Department of Public Works (DPW) and Richmond Mayoral Candidate Andreas Addison, who represents the area in Richmond City Council, since 2021.

8News reached out to DPW, which said it is working on addressing Beckmann’s inquiries, and Addison, who sent the following response:

I have had complaints and I have made requests with DPW for traffic studies and recommendations. There were discussions about a traffic light at Patterson and Pepper and a temporary light at Patterson and St Chris. I fought to lower the speed limit from Granite to Three Chopt to be down to 25mph given the residential aspect and people needing to turn out of their streets into traffic. I lived at Kensington and Honaker for four years and saw how people drove in the area. Drivers are reckless and speed.

Andreas Addison, Richmond City Councilman, First District

Beckmann said the situation has motivated him to take matters into his own hands.

“I’ve barricaded my property from cars flying off the road to try and protect my family and provide a safe space to get in and out of our cars,” he said.

Erik Leise, who has lived in the area since 2008, said the growing concerns about speeding drivers has caused some residents to move out of the neighborhood.

“We have these lovely people that move in and they have kids and we’re like, ‘They’re not going to be here for much longer and they’re moving out,'” said Leise. “If I were to come through your neighborhood at 55 miles an hour, how would that make you feel? You would be enraged, it would be unsafe.”

Both Beckmann and Liese are calling for more traffic enforcement in the area.

“You’ve got the rules, you’ve got the speed limits, but if no one’s enforcing it, then what are they for?” said Beckmann.

Drivers crashing into homes and yards is an ongoing problem in Richmond, including in the West End. In September 2023, a driver crashed into a yard on the 4800 block of Monument Avenue and in October 2022, a driver crashed into a yard at the intersection of West Cary Street and Westmoreland Street .

According to state’s Traffic Data Electronic System or TREDS, there have been 22 reported crashes so far this year along Patterson Avenue, compared to the 30 reported last year.

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