The Crest Dehesa Granite Hills Harbison Canyon Planning Group is asking for public input on safety improvements to La Cresta Road, a winding corridor east of El Cajon that has seen at least five fatalities in the past decade — including four in the last six years, according to Planning Group Chairman Ron Nehring.

The call for input follows the Feb. 11, 2026 death of Josefina Sanchez, 72, who was killed in a head-on collision on La Cresta Road. According to East County Magazine, Sanchez had been visiting her son in Crest when an alleged drunk driver struck her vehicle. She had traveled to the area to mourn the recent death of her husband.

Nehring described the road as a critical connector for the communities of Crest, Dehesa, Harbison Canyon and Granite Hills, linking them to the City of El Cajon and Interstate 8. He cited eight blind curves between Greenfield Drive and Mountain View Road where westbound drivers have limited visibility into oncoming lanes, along with long stretches that lack a shoulder.

"Drivers must approach La Cresta Road with heightened caution. The combination of blind curves and narrow margins for recovery means unsafe driving can have immediate and irreversible consequences for residents and other motorists," Nehring said in a statement posted to the Planning Group's website.

The Planning Group, which can advise but not compel action from the County of San Diego, is considering several possible recommendations including centerline rumble strips, targeted delineators at blind curves, high-friction pavement on downhill curves, and additional warning signage. A public input page is available at crestplanninggroup.com/lacresta.html. Residents can also attend the group's monthly meeting on March 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Crest Community Association Clubhouse, 113 N. Park Drive, in Crest. Source: East County Magazine