The Ceres Memorial Park board has asked the city of Ceres to install K-rail along Whitmore Avenue to prevent motorists from careening into the wrought-iron fencing as they have in the past.

The cemetery has had to spend thousands of dollars over the years to repair damage to the fence caused by wayward westbound vehicles which pick up speed coming down the Whitmore Avenue overpass. The crashes have occurred just west of the cemetery entrance where the road curves slightly.

Ceres City Councilman James Casey said the cemetery is growing and “pretty soon they’re gonna actually have people’s remains there, family members, veterans, and I would hate for the city to be involved in who’s responsible for what.”

The cemetery is primed next year to begin burials in the southwestern section of the cemetery at the location where past Memorial Day observances have been held. 

“We’ve been trying to get something accomplished for two years and nothing has been done,” said cemetery manager Lisa Tankersley.

She estimates that in the 17 years she has worked at the cemetery that someone has crashed into the fence six to seven times, often in the winter time when roads are slick and at night.

Tankersley is especially worried about the increased chance for a vehicle striking a person through the fence once that section of the cemetery becomes populated with visitors to new graves as well as those attending graveside services.

“But once we open up that section we’re going to have headstones and if it hits someone visiting that’s going to be a problem,” she told the Courier.

One time surveillance video showed a motorist puncturing through the fence, having difficulty dislodging his SUV and took off as a hit and run driver. In that instance there was no insurance company to go after.

The cemetery board has talked about possible solutions it could take, such as introducing boulders that would stop vehicles.

The cemetery is seeing about 300 new burials each year and needs the space near Whitmore Avenue for burials. The section is ready with lawn and an installed sprinkler system.

Because the cemetery has sold out of cremains niches, it has ordered pre-made niche structures that will be installed within a few months. They will be installed west and east of the existing niche section to add 600 niches.

Farther off into the future the cemetery has plans to expand into the northwest section near Highway 99.