Page 6 March 17, 2016 EL SEGUNDO HERALD Google’s Test Car Makes Police Reports a Rookie Mistake By Rob McCarthy California’s self-driving car project went six years and nearly 1.5 million miles without causing a crash until last month when a Google test car sideswiped a Bay area bus. The Google engineers took responsibility for the low-speed impact, and claimed the software-controlled car made a rookie mistake. It assumed the bus driver would wait. The Google car and the city bus were sharing a generously wide lane when the softwarecontrolled vehicle encountered “a tricky set of circumstances on El Camino,” according the Google team report. El Camino Real is a three-lane boulevard, much like Sepulveda Boulevard, with right-hand lanes wide enough for two drivers. The Google team decided to teach its self-driving car how this is done. “We began giving the self-driving car the capabilities it needs to do what human drivers do: hug the rightmost side of the lane,” engineers said in their report of the Valentine’s Day crash. “It’s vital for us to develop advanced skills that respect not just the letter of the traffic code but the spirit of the road.” A Google engineer was in the car at the time, however, the software was doing the driving. The vehicle pulled toward the righthand curb to prepare for a right turn when it Monday, March 7 Property Report-A found property report was taken at 2041 hours from the 900 block of Pepper Street. A set of keys was found at the location. Property Report-An online lost property report was taken at 1605 hours on 03/03/16 from the 1400 block of East Imperial Avenue. Miscellaneous jewelry was lost at the location. A robbery/assault with a deadly weapon/ conspiracy to commit a crime/shoplifting report was taken at 0919 hours from the 700 block of South Sepulveda Boulevard. Suspect entered a business and took merchandise without paying. Suspect was picked up by a second suspect who drove towards a security guard and then fled the scene. A traffic accident (without injuries) occurred at 1447 hours in the 500 block of Main Street, vehicle versus vehicle. Tuesday, March 8 A petty theft report was taken at 0231 hours from the 200 block of Concord Street. Unknown suspect(s) removed the battery from the victim’s vehicle. A stolen vehicle report was taken at 0610 hours from the 300 block of West El Segundo Boulevard. Taken was a 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse. A petty theft report was taken at 0717 hours from the 600 block of West Elm Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) took miscellaneous items from an unlocked vehicle.-One male adult was arrested at 1322 hours from the 4000 block of West 164th Street in Lawndale for burglary. One female adult was arrested at 1435 hours from the 4400 block of West Rosecrans Avenue in Lawndale for fraudulent use of access cards Wednesday March 9, A traffic accident (with injuries) occurred at 2014 hours at El Segundo Boulevard and Illinois Street, vehicle versus bicycle. Two male adults and one female adult were arrested at 0415 hours from Imperial Highway and Main Street for suspicion of burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of burglary tools and possession of drug paraphernalia. Property Report-A found property report was taken at 1054 hours from the 300 block of Concord Street. A set of keys was found at the location. A traffic accident (without injuries) occurred at 1345 hours at Aviation Boulevard and Utah Avenue, vehicle versus vehicle. A missing person report was taken at 1409 hours from the 300 block of Valley Street. A female juvenile was reported missing. Thursday, March 10 A burglary (residential) report was taken at 1907 hours from the 400 block of Washington Street. Unknown suspect(s) removed tools from the victim’s garage. Traffic accident (with injuries) occurred at 0700 hours from El Segundo Boulevard and Illinois Street, vehicle versus vehicle. Vehicle tampering report was taken at 0837 hours from the 600 block of West Mariposa Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) removed the driver’s side rear view mirror from the victim’s vehicle. A dead body report was taken at 1034 hours from the 1400 block of East Oak Avenue. A female adult was found deceased. A found property report was taken at 1130 hours from the 300 block of West El Segundo Boulevard. Found was ammunition and narcotics. Traffic accident (with injuries) occurred at 1650 hours from the 400 block of Rosecrans Avenue, vehicle versus fence. A found property report was taken at 1800 hours from the 300 block of Main Street. A vehicle license plate was found. One male adult was arrested at 2130 hours from the LBPD for one outstanding ESPD misdemeanor warrant. One male adult was arrested at 2327 hours from Imperial Avenue and Main Street for one ESPD misdemeanor warrant. Friday, March 11 Petty theft occurred between 2100 hours See Google, page 14 A self-driving SUV with a Google employee aboard collided with a metro bus in Mountain View last month. Credit: Google Self-Driving Car Project. El Segundo Power Mar Ventures Continental Development El Segundo Kiwanis Consolidated Services Mattel, Inc. Bank of the West Drew Boyles and Family Cold Stone Creamery Kohl’s Pelican Products DA14 Media Bill Ruane Citizens Business Bank Hensley Law Group El Segundo Rotary El Segundo Firefighters’ Association Karl Storz S&S Hardware West Basin Municipal Water District El Segundo Car Wash Sony Pictures El Segundo Police Officers’ Association Desemone Family Eric Busch Stacy Skredsvig Jim Boulgarides Don Brann Family South Bay Vital Signs, Inc. International Environmental Service Club Ed Barnhart State Farm El Segundo Family Chiropractic Sandy Heal Xceed Financial Credit Union • Chevron Products Co. • Alcoa Foundation City of El Segundo • Chad Hummel • Sony Pictures • DIRECTV, Inc. • Church Family El Segundo Power • Tara Church • Edison International • Catherine Magruder Boeing Company • DoubleTree Hotel • Northrop Grumman • Federal Realty Bank of the West • Continental Development • David Dickey • Mar Ventures • DaVita, Inc. L.A. Kings • Rhonda McFarlane • 1-800 Got Junk • ABC, Inc. • Cold Stone Creamery EEll SSeegguunnddoo RRoottaarryy •• SSuummmmiitt BBrrookkeerraaggee,, IInncc.. •• BBrrooookk CChhuurrcchh--KKooeeggeell Consolidated Services • Mattel, Inc. • California ReLeaf • El Segundo Kiwanis County of Los Angeles • El Segundo Firefighters Association See Police Reports, page 18 Chris Donovan from front page to engage and retain businesses through robust economic development activities.” Born in Northern California, Donovan played varsity baseball at Chico State University before transferring down south to Cal State University, Los Angeles where he earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Fire Protection Administration. A self-described “life-long learner,” he also received a Masters of Science in Emergency Management from Cal State, Long Beach as well as the Executive Fire Officer (EFO) certification from the National Fire Academy in Emmetsburg, Maryland and a Fire Chief certification from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. “Education is important to me, but more important is family,” Donovan emphasized. “I have been happily married for 18 years to my wife Jamie, who owns an interior design business, and we have two children—a 16-year-old son Connor and 12-year-old daughter Ava.” The four of them live in Huntington Beach. Donovan explained that helping people has always been his number one objective. “My mom was a critical care nurse for over 40 years and taught me the values of hard work, honesty, integrity and helping others,” he said. “That drew me to the fire service, where I have spent the last 27 years providing fire and rescue services to those in need.” Donovan spent 17 years with the Monterey Park Fire Department, rising through the ranks and serving as a Firefighter, Fire Prevention Officer, Firefighter/Paramedic, Captain and Battalion Chief. The City of Monrovia hired him as Fire Chief in 2006. The leadership stint led to a number of opportunities, including involvement with the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association (LAAFCA)—an organization comprised of the 31 fire chiefs within LA County that oversee 9,000 professional firefighters in the region. Donovan previously served as President of that organization and currently sits on its executive board where he has participated in projects such as the “very active” Regional Training Group (RTG). In his first few weeks in El Segundo, Donovan noted that his main focus has been to meet, greet and learn everything he can as it relates to the Fire Department. “I hope to meet with as many members of the department as possible, integrate with the culture and begin to find ways that I can support the exceptional fire and life safety service delivery,” he said. While still becoming acclimated with a new city, Donovan indicated that his first priority is to enhance services where needed, support efforts currently underway, and advocate for the best possible service the department can provide. “As examples of initial goals, I would like to have El Segundo Fire personnel become heavily involved with the Regional Training Group and participate in more training opportunities,” he said. “And I’d like us to work to become more involved with homeland security grant efforts to try to get financial support for training and fire equipment.” Though just over twice the population of El Segundo, Monrovia has a similarly-sized fire department in terms of personnel, equipment and number of facilities (two stations)—though Monrovia does not have its own ambulances. “El Segundo is for the most part much like many other smaller local communities in working to live within its means while trying to address many issues such as aging equipment, apparatus, infrastructure and so forth,” Donovan said. “It’s a difficult balancing act for any Fire Chief in the effort to continue to advocate for public safety. In keeping with the direction of the City, I will look for effective ways to spend money smartly—such as leveraging technologies to be more efficient and possibly seeking out new revenues that won’t negatively impact those we serve. I welcome the challenge and feel blessed to be here in El Segundo.” •
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