Child hit by SPD squad car
By: Josh Marcisz
Updated: November 1, 2012
A local youth is in serious condition after being struck by a Shreveport police car this morning.
Shreveport Police say Sgt. Rodney Johnson was traveling eastbound on East Stoner Avenue near Cornwell Avenue when he observed 11-year-old, Dyamon Williams, attempting to cross East Stoner Avenue. Sgt. Johnson was unable to avoid Williams and struck her with his police car, a 2012 Chevrolet Caprice.
Sgt. Johnson immediately called for help and the Shreveport Fire Department was able to arrive on scene quickly and transport Williams to LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport with injuries to her head and pelvis.
Williams has been staying with her mother and at least two other siblings at The Salvation Army on Stoner Avenue.
K.C. Kilpatrick Stone, director of development for The Salvation Army on Stoner Avenue says Williams was on her way to catch the bus to take her to Broadmoor Middle School. 'She was on her way to school, she's a straight-A student, she's a remarkable young lady," Stone said.
Deidra Robertson, director of Women and Family for The Salvation Army tells NBC 6 that as many as 16 children have to cross Stoner Avenue twice daily to catch the bus to school. There are no safety measures such as a crosswalk, lights, or a crossing guard on the busy 4-lane street, where the posted speed limit is 35 miles-per-hour.
"It would really help for us to have some type of safety measure to protect our children, to prevent this from happening in the future," Robertson said.
