School crossing guard victim of hit-and-run helping students cross busy Asheville road
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A crossing guard was hit by a vehicle Wednesday afternoon, May 3, in front of Asheville High School. School leaders say the guard was helping students cross McDowell Street when the incident happened.
“He is in full uniform, has a yellow and orange vest on and a stop sign, and he was holding it and protecting our students as they cross the crosswalk. A car was not paying attention and hit his arm with the car as they went by,” said Derek Edwards, Asheville High School principal.
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According to Edwards, the crossing guard is okay and does not have serious injuries. Edwards said the driver did not stop.
“He is a fantastic security guard for us, and in that moment when he was injured, he took care of our students first,"Edwards said, "and made sure they got through the crosswalk before he addressed his own needs."
A spokesperson for the Asheville Police Department said a police report has not been filed.
Edwards said this is not the first time this has happened, sharing a similar incident from the fall. He stressed the importance of the crossing guards when it comes to the safety of students but said more changes are needed.
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“I am so thankful we have them every day because if they weren’t there, then it would just be a kid in a backpack, dressed in street clothes -- and it could’ve been much, much worse,” he said.
David Uchiyama, with NCDOT communications, sent News 13 the following statement:
“A Spot Safety Project started this week near Asheville High School.
A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation is improving the curb ramps and upgrading the existing crosswalks to high-visibility crosswalks at the intersection of McDowell Street and Doctor’s Drive. The project will also add pedestrian signals for the southern and western legs of the intersection. NCDOT anticipates completion by May 25.
NCDOT and the school system are partnering on an additional safety project here, too. This operation will upgrade the existing school zone signage to flashers. The school system is providing the funding and future maintenance while NCDOT is procuring the equipment and installing the flashers in the next few weeks.”
On May 4, a spokesperson for Asheville City Schools sent News 13 the following statement:
"We can confirm that one of our security guards was hit by a vehicle while on duty at the McDowell crosswalk during dismissal on May 3rd. Fortunately, the guard did not sustain any serious injuries. The vehicle did not stop, but the Asheville Police Department is assisting us with the case.
In recent years, the traffic flow in and out of downtown Asheville along the McDowell Street corridor has increased significantly due to the growth of the downtown area. Asheville City Schools is working with the Department of Transportation to address the ongoing concerns related to the increased traffic and the lack of infrastructure to support both crosswalks on McDowell Street.
The Department of Transportation has informed us that the Doctor's Arm resurfacing project, which began in 2018, is still ongoing. The project includes adding School Zone Flashers on McDowell Street at both campus entrances - one at the bridge and the other at the exit of the tunnel coming from downtown. Additionally, a push-button crosswalk will be added at the intersection in front of Little Pigs BBQ. However, there is currently no plan to add a push-button crosswalk at the south entrance to the campus, which is utilized by pedestrians and school buses.
In March 2023, we met with the Department of Transportation to discuss the concerns at the crosswalk in front of the main building at the south entrance. However, they advised us that it is a lengthy process and suggested we seek federal funding to complete the project. They also assured us their support once we secure the necessary funding."