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Family and residents demand action after man killed on Gothal Hill Road; council hears pleas
Summary
Family members and residents pressed the Hawthorne Borough Council Nov. 5 to stop oversized trucks from using Gothal Hill Road after a recent crash that killed Johnny Azar. Speakers demanded traffic enforcement and structural changes; officials pledged cleanup but gave no immediate policy action.
Jonathan Azar told the Hawthorne Borough Council on Nov. 5 that his father, Johnny Azar, was killed on Gothal Hill Road and urged the council to take immediate steps to prevent future deaths. "People are here because a man died," Jonathan Azar said, delivering a detailed personal tribute and demanding the borough stop permitting oversized trucks on the hill.
A nearby resident identified only as D., who lives at 421 Gothal Hill Road, told the council that heavy trucks repeatedly travel the one-way, 4‑ton-restricted hill, leaving debris and property damage. "If I'm going to get hit by a vehicle on my property every 4 months, something's got to be done," the resident said, describing a boulder moved 15 feet onto his property and damaged trees and curbs.
Josephine, who said Johnny Azar was her father‑in‑law, asked council members to "find the fire in you to take this issue seriously" and urged a permanent prohibition on overweight trucks down the hill. Several speakers criticized the borough for what they called complacency and for relying on temporary measures such as signs and decoy police cars.
Council members and staff acknowledged the complaints and offered operational follow‑up: public works staff said they would clean debris left after recent crashes and follow up on the quick‑response cleanup and traffic signage. There was no formal motion or vote at the meeting to change the truck restriction, update signage policy, or launch an immediate enforcement plan.
The comments came during the meeting's public-comment period and followed an earlier resident report of a recent crash that left telephone wires and vehicle parts on private property. Council President (Chair) opened the session for public comment and later closed the public portion after hearing multiple speakers.
What happens next: speakers urged the council to move beyond cleanup to enforce route restrictions, install permanent traffic controls, and consider engineering changes to prevent heavy vehicles from using the hill. The council did not announce a timetable or a specific plan of action at the meeting; staff said they would follow up with the resident and public works.
