Residents who live near the intersection of Rancho Bernardo Road and Meandro Drive say it was only a matter of time before it happened. Police reports indicate there have been eight injury crashes there since 2017, not including hit-and-runs or non-injury accidents. But on January 6, 2020, John Benson Atcheson, 71, of San Diego, lost his life at what locals say is a dangerous intersection.

On 6:20 p.m. on Monday, Atcheson was heading north on Meandro Drive in a 2018 Chevrolet Volt. When he got to the three-way intersection at Rancho Bernardo, he made a left turn to head west.

A 23-year old woman in a 2001 Toyota Tacoma pickup was heading east on Rancho Bernardo when Atcheson pulled out in front of her. With no time to stop, the truck collided with the driver’s side of the Volt.

Medics performed CPR on Atcheson, who suffered serious injuries, before transporting him from the scene. He died in the ambulance and was pronounced dead at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido.

John Atcheson was an environmental and political writer. He wrote both a novel entitled A Being Darkly Wise and a book called WTF, America? How the US Went Off the Rails and How to Get It Back On Track. His work at the Environmental Protection Agency and his love of nature made him a fierce advocate for the environment. He has a regular contributor to the website Common Dreams and his writing has appeared in major news outlets.

The woman driving the pickup suffered a broken collarbone and tailbone, in addition to the emotional pain of being involved in a fatal collision.

Many feel this tragic situation did not need to happen.

Dangerous Intersection

Meandro Drive is within Seven Oaks, a 55+ retirement community in Rancho Bernardo. Residents say that road’s intersection with Rancho Bernardo road is the only way in and out of that community.

There is no forced stop on Rancho Bernardo Road. To get to Interstate 15, drivers exiting Seven Oaks, many of them elderly, must make a left turn across four lanes of high-speed traffic.

The collision is currently under investigation by traffic detectives. But neighbors feel the accidents will continue unless the city installs a stoplight at this dangerous intersection.

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