Another Iron Horse Trail attack involving a Walnut Creek student

These notices come in about middle and high school students being confronted by suspicious characters or robbed on the Iron Horse Trail in and around downtown Walnut Creek. ... And my immediate thought is: The Iron Horse Trail sounds like a dangerous place for my sixth grader to be walking. 

Here's news about the latest incident. Actually, it involved a Las Lomas High freshman who was robbed of his IPod and earphones while walking to school Friday morning along the trail near Safeway.  

Las Lomas High Principal Pat Lickiss alerted parents at his school that: 

Earlier [Friday], it was reported to our offices that a student had been approached while walking to school and jumped from behind by a man demanding his money. ... A student reported to his English teacher, that on his way to school this morning on the trail by Safeway a heavy set Hispanic man about 5 foot 7 inches with a black hood, bandana over his mouth, and wearing dark blue jeans jumped him from behind demanding his money. The man did get his earphones and IPod. The student said there were no injuries or weapons and he "used what he learned in PE class to get away." 

I realize that we all need to put these incidents into perspective and not leap into panic mode. We need to think of the statistics and probability. I'm sure that the vast majority of us--young and old--are safe while walking, running, or cycling along various stretches of the Iron Horse Trail at different times of day. I'm sure that this sort of incident isn't all that common--despite the fact that it receives attention from school officials and a blogger like me. 

With regard to the Iron Horse Trail, I've gone running along different parts of it early in the morning and at night, after dark. I'm not going to stop doing that because of reports of this kind of crime. I'm not afraid, though I'm always on alert and wary. 


On the other hand, I will let my son know.  Actually, he and his friends at WCI don't use the Iron Horse Trail much at all. It's just the thing he crosses every morning and afternoon while coming and going from school. 


Walnut Creek Intermediate School Principal Kevin Collins is letting parents know because "many WCI students use the trail to get to and from school, and we are asking for parents to again discuss personal safety with their children." 

Man arrested after attempted robbery on Iron Horse Trail in downtown Walnut Creek

A man armed with a gun was arrested after attempting a hold-up on the Iron Horse Trail. The attempted robbery occurred on the trail at about 7:30 p.m. Monday near Lincoln Avenue and Carmel Drive and Civic Park.

The Contra Costa Times says the suspect's identity was not immediately available. Walnut Creek police detained the suspect, then turned him over to the custody of the East Bay Regional Parks District police.

Walnut Creek considering upgrade of Iron Horse Trail crossing at Mt. Diablo Boulevard

It's going to cost $125,000 but city staff say they have the money in the Capital Improvement Program and that helping trail users to be more visible to motorists is one of the goals of this program.

Some 14,900 vehicles move along Mt. Diablo Boulevard every day near where  the Iron Horse Trail crosses. That particular crosswalk is heavily used throughout the day. Fortunately, there have only been two accidents in that crosswalk in the past two years, but staff recommends a "proactive approach to designing a pedestrian friendly environment  for this crosswalk."

The city's Transportation Commission will discuss the issue at  its 7 p.m. meeting on Thursday.

According to the staff report, the proposed improvements would involve:

--"Lane drop" striping at Mt. Pisgah Road for eastbound traffic, to indicate that Mt. Diablo Boulevard drops down from four lanes to two just  east  of the crosswalk.

--PV head flashers to signal a pedestrian crossing at  the crosswalk.

--Future landscaping for a median island to help block sun glare in the late afternoon.

Woman robbed on Iron Horse Trail in downtown Walnut Creek

A man with an Eastern European accent and who claimed to have a gun robbed a woman of her iPod while she was strolling along the Iron Horse Trail Tuesday afternoon.

According to East Bay Regional Parks police, the woman was walking on the trail, just north of Newell Avenue, when she was confronted by the robber. While he signaled that he had a gun in his waistband, the woman did not see it. Still, still handed over her iPod.

The robber walked south on the trail toward Newell. Police describe him as white, between 18 and 20 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall with a stocky build and blue eyes. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and baggy jeans.

Anyone with information about the robber or the crime can call police at 510-881-1833.