UPDATE: Crossing Guard Fatally Struck, Child Hurt By SUV Outside Lafayette School
LAFAYETTE (CBS SF) – A crossing guard was killed and a child was injured after they were struck by a driver outside a middle school in Lafayette Wednesday afternoon.
UPDATE: Lafayette School Crossing Guard Fatally Injured on Duty Hailed as Hero
The incident happened at about 3 p.m. outside Stanley Middle School at 3455 School Street. According to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, the two victims were hit by an SUV. The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with authorities.
Raw Video: Scene Where SUV Hit Child, Crossing Guard In Front of Lafayette School
Officials with the Lafayette School District told KPIX 5 the adult victim was a crossing guard. Lafayette Police said the child had minor injuries and the crossing guard was taken to the hospital.
The victim has been identified as 45-year-old Ashley Dias. His mother, Gloria Dias, confirmed his identity to KPIX 5's Andrea Nakano Wednesday night.
I just talked to the mother of the crossing guard involved in the accident in front of Stanley Middle School in #Lafayette. She tells me her son has passed away. Her interview on @KPIXtv tonight.
— Andrea Nakano (@AndreaKPIX) September 9, 2021
"He was an amazing person. Just an amazing person," she told KPIX 5.
Dias was still trying to process the loss of her son as she returned to the crash site Wednesday night to retrieve his vehicle. She said that a parent of one of the children involved in the crash told her that her son died saving his daughter's life and called him a hero.
"I met one of the fathers in the hospital. And he said, 'Your son saved my daughter's life.' He said she stopped but he walked in front to stop the car and the car just knocked him over and dragged him underneath," Dias said.
Gloria Dias said Ashley had a career in the IT field but wanted to help out in the community. He just started as the crossing guard on Tuesday because he heard about the shortage of guards at schools.
Residents in this area feared something like this would happen.
"I'm not surprised. I'm not surprised. I knew this day was going to come because everybody is speeding here," said Stephanie Levine of Lafayette.
Liz, a Lafayette resident who did not want to give her last name, told KPIX 5, "It's really upsetting, it's not like this is a big town, everybody knows that school is here and you need to be careful. You really have to be careful."
Dias said her son's sense of humor and devotion to his family will be sorely missed.
"About 3 months ago, I had a fall and collapse and I was hospitalized for a month. He took time off from work, he came here," Dias recalled. "He took care of me, cooked my meals, took me to the hospital, took me to my doctor's office. He did everything."