Visiting Faculty Member at SCI-Arc Killed in 5th & Main Traffic Accident
Courtesy SCI-Arc
Architect Raimund Abraham
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Architect Raimund Abraham, a visiting faculty member at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, died just after midnight Thursday morning in a traffic accident at 5th and Main.
Abraham, 76, had delivered a lecture at the school earlier in the evening. He was killed after a collision between his vehicle and a Metro bus, which was not carrying passengers at the time. The Metro driver was uninjured. Abraham was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a release this afternoon, SCI-Arc Director Eric Owen Moss described Abraham as an irreplaceable force in architecture.
"Earlier in the evening Raimund delivered a powerful lecture at SCI-Arc, re-stating his enduring love for architecture and his willingness to fight for the design discourse as he defined it," Moss said. "That unique and powerful Abraham advocacy for architecture is irreplaceable. Raimund, We miss you.”
A detective in LAPD's Central Traffic Division said that the department had not determined who was at fault in the incident. Most Metro buses are equipped with a video system called DriveCam, but he said that video had not yet been turned over to the department.
A gathering in Abraham's honor will be held on Friday at 1pm in SCI-Arc's W.M. Keck Lecture Hall.
Abraham emigrated from Austria to the United States in 1964, and had taught at the Cooper Union and Pratt Institute since 1971.
Guest on March 04, 2010, at 03:00PM – #1
The Metro buses always speed through that intersection at night/early am hours. And they also frequently completely bypass their scheduled stops there, even with a group of people waiting. Gee, it's almost as if they are trying to avoid picking up passengers at 5th & Main ... I wonder why?
I'm very sorry that a valuable member of our society had to die at the most notorious intersection in DTLA.
El Dabe Sherif on March 04, 2010, at 05:01PM – #2
Is this the most notorious intersection in Downtown? Both of those streets are one way, which is supposed to be safer for drivers because traffic is only coming from one direction. I think there are other worse intersections.
DriveCam videos require special software to view. Sometimes these videos get "lost" or "accidentally erased" so I hope it is preserved, in the interest of truth.
I can guarantee you that if the bus is at fault, Metro Risk Management is already all over this case, doing a one-sided investigation, and minimizing their liability.
El Dabe Law Firm - Los Angeles Accident Attorney
Don Garza on March 04, 2010, at 05:29PM – #3
I knew that man and I think may of us downtown knew him... this is a sad day for all of us.
This is not the first bus and vehicle accident I have witnessed at that intersection on a rainy evening... it happens a lot there..buses do speed and cars just love to come around the corner without stopping once the light turns green. I have almost been hit several times at that crosswalk. Buses race down t5h street headed west every evening as if they are in a hurry too put skid row between them and themselves as quickly as possible.
But I digress and say that it is interesting to note that most of these deadly accidents occur at that intersection , late in the evenings and early morning hours when traffic is practically non -existent.
Karin Liljegren on March 04, 2010, at 05:30PM – #4
This is awful and so sad. I might be jumping the gun here, but I am disgusted and tired at seeing buses flying through red lights. I see it a few times a day and am amazed more people don't die. Something has to be done.
Guest on March 04, 2010, at 05:32PM – #5
Actually, the SmartDrive system (not DriveCam) exonerates the bus driver - completely.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on March 04, 2010, at 05:40PM – #6
Guest: I would hope that the facts come out, whichever way they happened. When I spoke to Metro, they sent me to LAPD. LAPD said they hadn't seen any video yet.
Guest on March 04, 2010, at 06:05PM – #7
The metro buses always speed downtown. I've almost been hit a few times by them or have seen them almost hit other cars. Just awful.
Ken Hall on March 04, 2010, at 10:30PM – #8
So sorry to hear the news.
Bert Green (@bgfa) on March 04, 2010, at 11:00PM – #9
This is just terribly sad. I heard the screech and crash sound at 12:14 am, and then saw the immediate aftermath of the accident from my window above. Mr. Abraham's car had crashed into the entrance of my gallery on 5th St. after colliding with the bus, and he did not survive the initial impact. I went downstairs and found the first responders to be absolutely professional and respectful; they kept everyone else away. That poor man.
I was told by people on the street that the bus ran the light, but we really should wait to find out the results of the investigation.
Guest on March 05, 2010, at 12:16AM – #10
i thought that a honk from the bus was enough? i mean, light turns red, honk...speed through intersection.
K Parsons on March 05, 2010, at 12:34AM – #11
As an architect, I am deeply saddened by the loss of Mr. Abraham. As a person who lives part time in DTLA, I am once again reminded of just how precarious it is to be on our streets, whether driving, cycling or walking. 5th and main is a dicey intersection, one-way streets or not. It may not be the most dangerous intersection Downtown, bit it certainly isn't close to the safest either. Buses do tend to blast up that hill, and the sight-lines aren't very clear as one approaches Main. It seems to be assumed that the bus was on 5th, not northbound on Main. Does anyone know if this is the case?
Bert Green (@bgfa) on March 05, 2010, at 12:45AM – #12
Abraham's car was crushed on the passenger side. For the bus to hit him on that side, it would make sense that he was traveling north on Main and the bus was going west on Fifth.
Guest on March 05, 2010, at 12:19PM – #13
Hopefully the bus driver goes to jail. Knowing downtown bus drivers, I have absolutely no doubt it was his/her fault. Just yesterday I saw a bus do the same thing. Red light, bus honks and goes through the intersection... Perfectly acceptable.
Neel Sodha on March 05, 2010, at 02:26PM – #14
I don't mean to sound like an a**hole, but this is a strong reason why LA needs to get more serious about public transportation. This gentleman, at 76, should not be driving. He should have the comfort and ability to ride the Metro to/from his destination.
The bus driver was probably acting in good concious (a lot of bus drivers sound to get a bad rap in all message boards, undeservingly). It's a hard job. Imagine fighting traffic all day. ALL DAY. But, I won't defend until the investigation has concluded.
Just let's not keep blaming the bus driver. Think about a 76 year-old visiting professor was driving. When he should have felt comfortable about taking the Flyaway to/from LAX and a taxi from Union Station to SCI-Arc and not feel the need to rent a car. SCI-Arc probably didn't even give that recommendation and his probably first instinct was "i need to drive in LA"
Unfortunate...
Nancy Richardson (@nanorich) on March 05, 2010, at 03:03PM – #15
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/health/research/13drive.html?_r=1
An Epidemic of Crashes Among the Aging? Unlikely, Study Says
Guest on March 05, 2010, at 05:52PM – #16
Neel, you are clueless. He was a "visiting faculty" member which simply means he was not tenured at SCI-arc. Raimund has lived in the United States since 1964 splitting his time between Los Angeles and NYC. He wasn't on his way to the airport.
Christophe Serafino on March 05, 2010, at 05:56PM – #17
R.I.P. Mr. Abraham. This is a really unfortunate situation.
While on the topic of buses, I feel they run way too many red lights. I am not saying this was the situation, but as a pedestrian in downtown, I am appalled at how often buses run red lights, not yellow lights, but actual red lights. I understand they are on a schedule and need to get people to their destinations, but it's outrageous how often I see red lights ran by buses.
Neel Sodha on March 05, 2010, at 06:04PM – #18
Guest # 16 - did you read my whole post? I said I'm not disheartening the fact a 76 year old man died, but the lack of trust in LA Metro system that he chose to drive. A 76 year old man behind the wheel is not safe.
Why does everybody already assume the bus driver is at fault? The investigation hasn't even concluded (or started?) and yet fingers are being pointed. Does anybody not realize the fact the man was 76 years old? 76 years old! Could it be possible that he ran the red light?
Why do bus drivers always get a bad rap? First, we want them to go fast and be competitive with the personal car. And, situations like this we s*** all over them. Remember the one situation with a DASH bus in early '09? How many personal automobile incidents do we hvae with pedestrians? Tons more than buses, but yet, it's always the bus drivers everybody likes to gang up.
I take the bus as much as possible and I'm glad it's able to "speed" through the city streets in a safe manner. Most of the time, it's those personal automobiles that cut 'em off. But, of course, we can't blame ourselves, right? It has to be somebody else's fault...so let's blame the bus driver right away!
Nancy Richardson (@nanorich) on March 05, 2010, at 06:13PM – #19
Will you please cut out the nonsense that older people can't drive.
Jack Nicholson is 72...are you gonna be the guy who walks up and tells him he is too old to drive????
LAofAnaheim on March 05, 2010, at 09:22PM – #20
Nancy - I think the point is that we continue to speculate that the bus driver is at fault even when we don't know the facts. Then, everybody on this board (and many others) are fast to blame the bus driver. Is it quite possible that maybe Raimund sped past the red light and hit the bus? Yes, quite possible. I won't speculate until the LAPD report, unlike commentors # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 17.
And, the point of the post in # 14 was to note that Reimund probably felt more safe driving than taking our public transit system. If this was NY, the chances of him driving to a lecture would be low. Due to our limited public transit system (but yet really good in downtown LA), he chose to drive.
If a 72 year old man like Jack Nicholson got hit and the bus was involved..I'm sure the message board participants would point straight blame to the bus driver before assessing the situation. That's an unfortunate stereoype.
Today, on the 728 from Century City, there was a SUV who sped up on the right shoulder to bypass the bus in the middle lane. There was a parked car in front and the lady was getting out of her car. Luckily the SUV just "cut the bus off" and moved into the middle lane. Everybody on the bus gasp and could not believe what they saw. Yet, I'm sure the bus gets blame because it's in the middle of the road, whereas the SUV was just trying to get out of the way............
siri derya on March 06, 2010, at 10:14PM – #21
Anything new on the accident investigation? Did friends let friends drive drunk?
Umberto Brayj (@ubrayj02) on March 07, 2010, at 01:52AM – #22
Oh my, isn't this the same intersection which claimed the life of a middle aged woman a short time ago? It was an LADOT bus that time, I believe.
What the hell is wrong with a city that allows this sort of slaughter to take place?
If two normal humans had been killed by gunfire, or had been murdered by a psychopath, we'd be up in arms patrolling the streets to keep them safe.
Having the streets of DTLA act as mini-freeways is crime! Are we that lame that we can't slow down cars and make this a safer place to walk?
Guest on March 07, 2010, at 10:50AM – #23
When you see the kids go home from school and steal the apples everyday (yes e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y!!!), the day when you see some missing apples, who will you assume stole the apples?
Oscar
ps; stop stealing the apples!
Bert Green (@bgfa) on March 07, 2010, at 11:10AM – #24
Umberto, the accident you refer to happened at 5th & Flower, across to the western side of downtown. That driver was convicted of manslaughter, if my source is correct.
Nancy Richardson (@nanorich) on March 07, 2010, at 12:21PM – #25
Hum...why do I assume that the person at fault was the bus driver?
I guess it had something to do with actually researching stats on older drivers...while factoring in my own experience sharing a road with bus drivers (who will basically cut off anybody with a smaller vehicle when merging into an intersection)...while learning as a pedestrian never to assume right of way when crossing a street if there is a bus within smashing me into pulp distance....
Your mileage may vary.
Guest on March 08, 2010, at 12:10PM – #26
Raimund was an extremely skillful driver. I doubt that his age was a factor in the accident.
Guest on March 08, 2010, at 12:10PM – #27
Raimund was an extremely skillful driver. I doubt that his age was a factor in the accident.
Robyn on March 08, 2010, at 01:11PM – #28
Oh my. This is horrible news. Shock in handling unexpected, abrupt news is hard on the soul. May God bless all of the families and friends of both drivers.
Guest on March 15, 2010, at 10:23AM – #29
This story is so tragic, and what's worse is that it seems totally avoidable. I live and work downtown, and ride the bus daily. And every day that I'm on the bus, my heart is in my throat as we barrel through red lights, pull out of the right lane (why?!) to cut off cars in the left lane, and drive at obviously unsafe speeds. In almost every other city I've lived in, local buses are restricted to the right lane only, yet LA buses jump into traffic like they're cars - so so dangerous. I even saw a bus do this on Grand the other day, and cut off a police car, causing the cop to slam on his brakes! I was sure the bus would be stopped, but no way... It seems like there is no oversight? Who reviews the drivers? What's the rush, it's not like the buses are actually expected to be on time or stick to a schedule?
Guest on March 30, 2010, at 12:22AM – #30
this is really sad
Guest on March 30, 2010, at 12:36AM – #31
I tend to disconnect in my studio (working as a musician and an architect). I'm an adjunct at a slightly lonely (meaning that the student body & must of the faculty are disconnected). Anyway at tonight's studio, I referenced Raimund's work to one of my students. We went on line, and I read this terrible news. I was deeply influenced by Mr. Abraham's work. He was extremely underrated in the fake world of architecture. My closest encounter w/ the professor and practitioner was at a lecture while in architecture school, and then (later) on a partial tour of his Austrian Cultural Forum in NYC. I have friends and colleagues who had the privilege to study, teach, and work with Raimund Abraham. My sympathy goes out to all of you. This loss is huge!