Demands for safety improvements on Highway 25 after crash kills 911 dispatcher

GILROY, Calif - The day before Thanksgiving, friends and neighbors of a Santa Clara County 911 dispatcher who was killed in a head-on collision on Highway 25 were advocating for improvements to the roadway.

The crash happened in October on the highway that connects the fast-growing bedroom community of Hollister to jobs in the Bay Area.

Thousands of commuters use Highway 25 daily, and motorists said safety enhancements are needed.

"You face people that will drive on the other side of the road to pass you up. You face a lot of tailgating, there is just a lot of unsafe driving," said Erica Morton, who was friends with Priscilla Jones, the dispatcher who was killed.

Jones died in a head-on collision early on the morning of Oct. 28, as she was on her way to work. The driver of the other car also died.

"Priscilla was so supportive of the community. She started the neighborhood watch program, and she was just so active. And I just don’t want to see anybody else hurt or anything," Morton said.

Following Jones' death, Morton launched a petition on Change.org and started reaching out to elected officials and Caltrans to apply pressure for changes.

She has gathered more than 6,000 signatures so far.

As the petition grows, so do concerns about why the stretch of freeway on the San Benito County side has safety K-rails that divide oncoming traffic, while the shorter section in Santa Clara County, leading to Highway 101, does not.

"I just felt fed up. If there were K-rails here she would be alive. She was going to work," Morton said.

Caltrans said in a statement that the agency's "(District) 4 and (District) 5 will be conducting a collaborative traffic investigation on route 25 in both Santa Clara and San Benito counties. We anticipate findings/recommendations from the investigations in mid to late January 2025.  An outreach/feedback effort with the communities will be included in the effort." 

Caltrans District 4 covers Santa Clara County, while District 5 covers San Benito County.

For Morton, it's about keeping her friend's memory alive.

"I'm a little skeptical, but I'm going to keep pushing. Are you going to give up? Nope. Not giving up," Morton said.

"I am a little skeptical but I am going to keep pushing. Are you going to give up? Nope. Not giving up," Morton said.