A crosswalk in front of a south Cobb middle school has been named after a crossing guard who was hit and killed by a car while on duty.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Wednesday for the Edna Umeh memorial crosswalk in front of Lindley Middle School. Umeh, 64, was fatally hit by a car on Nov. 30, 2017, while she was directing traffic on Veterans Memorial Highway in Mableton.
The driver of the vehicle, Lamonte Whitaker of Lithonia, in August 2018 was sentenced to five years in prison for hitting Umeh, of Austell, with his vehicle.
THe mother of three’s family pushed for safety improvements following her death. Cobb County conducted a safety audit of Veterans Memorial Highway and in May 2018 installed two electronic road signs that tells drivers how fast they are going.
In March, the county activated a HAWK, or High-intensity Activated crossWalK, beacon that allow pedestrians to push a button notifying motorists that they are trying to cross the road.
State Rep. Erica Thomas in 2018 introduced “Edna’s Law,” which would allow law enforcement officers to use speed detection technology while patrolling designated school zones.
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