Samo community rallies to aid businesses after Pico car crash

On Jan. 12 at 10:20 p.m., a speeding Bentley SUV collided into the intersection of 7th St. and Pico Blvd., a mere block away from Samo’s Michigan gate.The collision affected three main businesses on the block: Red’s Pizza, Boba Lab and the Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC). On Feb. 1, PYFC hosted a fundraiser to cover the cost of broken computers, destroyed furniture and office equipment and shattered windows. The fundraiser was held at the Robert Berman Gallery from 7 to 11 p.m. All three businesses have tens of thousands of dollars to pay in damage and have their storefronts boarded up until further notice, a large reason the PYFC decided to begin a fundraiser.Artists attended and musicians performed in the gallery, which is located inside of Bergamot Station on Olympic Blvd. and 26th St. PYFC and its director Oscar de la Torre has set up a GoFundMe page named “Help PYFC Rebuild” to encourage fellow citizens to help out with the damage costs. Their goal is $20,000, and they are currently at $1,300. The PYFC has received donations from fellow organizations, such as Compassionate California, and many anonymous donors from the Samo community. At the time of the crash, students from local schools were working on a music production in the PYFC. According to de la Torre, debris and concrete from a fallen light pole barely missed staff and students. Fortunately, no one in either business nor the driver of the car was injured. An SMPD spokesperson confirmed that the driver was completely sober and simply lost control of his vehicle from hitting a bump. The intersection of 7th St. and Pico Blvd. is known for its confusing stoplights and rules. Many student drivers try to avoid this intersection when navigating around the school, while some even drive the wrong way on the one-way 7th St. on accident. Many student pedestrians can also be seen ignoring the stoplights and designated crosswalks at lunch and after school.Boba Lab and Red’s Pizza are both popular lunch and hangout spots for Samo students. Although Boba Lab is still open, Red’s is closed until Feb. 6, putting daily customers into a frenzy. Trevor Mason (’21), a weekly Red’s goer, speaks for most students on the restaurant’s closing. “I used to go almost every day, but now Red’s closing has ruined my lunches. I hope they’re able to reopen sooner than later,” Mason said. As the local Pico businesses move forward from the crash, they have asked the Santa Monica community and its citizens to help them recover financially and patiently wait for their re-openings. PYFC is continuing to fundraise online and will reopen as soon as they receive the funds to do so.