The tragic loss of community activist Maruta Gardner, struck and killed by a suspected drunken driver Feb. 12, has touched a nerve — and prompted a call for action from beach residents.
At Pacific Beach Town Council’s Feb. 17 meeting, a moment of silence was observed in honor of Gardner, killed a few days before her 69th birthday in a road rage incident while painting out graffiti in the 600 block of San Diego Place in Mission Beach. A memorial with flowers and cards has been created at the jetty wall where Gardner lost her life.
The Mission Beach Women’s Club, in which Gardner was a member, is hosting a Celebration of Life for her Friday, March 4 from 4 to 5 p.m. at the South Mission Bayside Jetty. Locals are requested to dress casually, walk or bike to the jetty, bring their own chairs and wear their women’s club shirts or something red, Gardner’s favorite color.
Jonathan Domingo Garcia, 23, is accused of causing the late-afternoon crash that killed Gardner, who according to police was cleaning up graffiti at the entrance to the jetty. Garcia and another motorist became involved in a road rage incident, police said, with Garcia fatally striking Gardner and driving from the scene. He was stopped by officers nearby.
According to police, Garcia’s blood-alcohol level was measured at .06 percent, and marijuana and depressants were also allegedly found in his system.
Garcia’s bail was set at $550,000. If convicted, he faces 15 years in prison. A readiness conference was set for March 10 and a preliminary hearing for April 20.
A retired former principal at Mission Bay High School, Gardner was honored by San Diego City Council last year, which declared Nov. 3 “Maruta Gardner Day.”
Gardner’s tragic death has beachfront resident proclaiming no more.
“It took a riot at the beach for the city council to listen to the community on beach alcohol,” said Scott Chipman, a community planner and activist representing San Diegans for Responsible Planning. “What will it take for them to apply proven alcohol business policies to get some local control? We have already had several drunk drivers up on the sidewalks and through crosswalks killing/injuring people. Here is another one.”
Chipman said Gardner “was one of the finest women and community members in our area. She was a fantastic principal of MBHS and loved the community and worked nonstop to improve it. This is terribly ironic. A community activist becomes victim to one of the worst characteristics of our community.”
“We need to get word out to the entire community, not just through our websites, blogs and community meetings but through personal emails, talking to neighbors, parents of school age children, everyone in PB,” said Brian Curry, president of Pacific Beach Planning Group. “Then I suggest we coordinate a public protest, as large as possible, with press, community leaders, children, citizens, business owners, residents et cetera.”
Curry recommended that Pacific Beach Town Council head up the protest effort with assistance from other community groups. “This needs to be a communitywide effort,” he concluded.
“Maruta will be remembered for that smile and positive attitude as well as her passion for graffiti removal,” said Sara Berns, executive director of Discover PB. “It always struck me every time I learned something new of her accomplishments it was never from her, as she was so humble and community minded. I was always surprised to learn of her many accolades.”
“Maruta’s kindness, thoughtfulness and cheerfulness will be deeply missed by everyone who knew her in Mission Beach,” said Debbie Watkins, Mission Beach Precise Planning Board chair. “She worked tirelessly and passionately to clean up the graffiti in our community and offered her help with all types of community events. Maruta was the matriarch of the Mission Beach Women’s Club and the community. She was beloved by all who knew her and worked with her.” Longtime PB community planner Eve Anderson said Gardner was one of her first clients when she started her flower garden design business in 1997.
“I tended her small South Mission court garden for five years,” Anderson said. “Such a neat lady. Also, her husband Willie, a lawyer, was a Mission Beach Town Council president several years ago. They were a neat couple and much loved by all.”
Anderson suggested that a march or a public vigil in the bar district of PB might be an appropriate public response to Gardner’s death. Mary Willmont, of Mission Beach Women’s Club, said Vickie Lareau has offered to fill in for Gardner on the Play by the Bay committee that is organizing fundraising for a makeover and remodeling of the children’s park near the corner of Mission Boulevard and West Mission Bay Drive.
“Play by the Bay was dear to Maruta’s heart,” Willmont said, “as she was making sure graffiti was not only removed from Mission Beach but was also photographed and given to the police for catching whoever applied graffiti. She worked very closely with the police. Maruta believed in leaving a place better than how she found it. She also applied this to her job as a teacher and a principal, which is why she is mourned so deeply… “Her unexpected death has wounded her friends and neighbors. We know we can’t change what happened, so we’re finding closure and acceptance by doing what we can to carry on her work in our community by forming a graffiti removal group and moving forward with Play by the Bay, both of which were important to her.”
PB community activist Kristen Victor first met Gardner through Mission Beach High School.
“Both my daughters attended MBHS as student athletes,” Victor said. “During this time, the equality of male to female athlete facilities at MBHS was nonexistent for the female athletes. I worked closely with Maruta and the [women’s club] to define, design and fund a girls athletic team room at MBHS, still used today.”
Victor said Gardner “had a special way about her — always community first. When BeautifulPB and Community Collaborators were founded, Maruta always was a proactive, positive leader, smiling at the table. I will miss her bright smile, her positive force and her commitment to our beach community.”