A crossing guard working his second day on the job died Wednesday after being hit by a car in front of a Lafayette middle school, as some parents said they were stunned, but not necessarily shocked it happened.
Ashley Dias, 45, of San Francisco, was in front of Stanley Middle School in the 3400 block of School Street, when a car accelerated forward and hit him at Paradise Court. The collision happened at about 3 p.m., as school was letting out.
A child at the scene suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized as a precaution. He was expected to be OK.
Another crossing guard said he knows he’s a high risk each day he shows up to help children across crosswalks during mornings and afternoons amid a stream of cars and distracted drivers.
“Every day,” Frank Boykin said. “The danger is there every day, because people don’t pay attention. They’re on their phone, or their doing their makeup, or their talking to others. People always go faster than 20 mph. And this was only Wednesday.”
Additional crossing guards were added after two students were hit by cars in separate accidents in 2015 at the school and were sent to the hospital.
Lafayette police officers found Dias trapped under a car when they arrived to the scene, according to a statement from the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office. They pulled him out with help from some citizens on the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
He died after being rushed to a hospital.
Social media posts and parent accounts Thursday indicated that Dias jumped in front of a car to rescue a child, with one post including the hashtag #diedahero.
Sheriff’s office spokesman Jimmy Lee said authorities had not yet confirmed Dias saved a child. In their statement, the agency said the driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene and spoke with authorities.
Sports-talk radio personality Ryan Covay of 95.7-FM posted on social media that he and Dias were friends for 30 years, that he was a “great dude,” and that he “died a hero’s death.”
This was my good buddy Ashley Dias. He and I were friends for 30 years. He was a great dude and a HUGE sports fan. He loved the fact he could turn on @957thegame and hear me on the radio. You died a hero's death. I love you bro.
— Ryan Covay (@RyanCovay) September 9, 2021
Boykin, 61, said Dias was working his second day, and that he had helped to get him hired.
“Heartbroken,” he said of his reaction.
Lafayette resident Gretchen Placzek said she has two daughters who attend the middle school and a son who goes to nearby Lafayette Elementary School, which runs adjacent to First Street, a narrow side street about that nearby residents say vehicles’ roll through and not very slowly.
She said that on the four days a week when the schools get out at the same time, it’s mass chaos. On Wednesday, when they let out separately, it’s only chaos.
“It’s like a mob of humanity,” Placzek said. “They’re coming at you like sea waves Students, cars, people walking dogs. It’s a mob scene.”
Said Marni Rivera, another parent with a child in the school: “The truth of it is, we parents have to look ourselves in the mirror. We parents have to be adults and slow down and respect the speed limit and respect each other.”
Authorities urged anyone with information on the incident to contact Lafayette police at 925-299-3234.
"front" - Google News
September 10, 2021 at 01:43AM
https://ift.tt/3A2FswO
Crossing guard fatally hit by car in front of Lafayette middle school had just started job - East Bay Times
"front" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3aZh1mr
https://ift.tt/3b2xvu5
No comments:
Post a Comment