Dunwoody police to contact driver they believe almost hit Chesnut Elementary student in crosswalk

Dunwoody police plan to contact the owner of a car they believe almost struck a Chesnut Elementary Charter School student on Oct. 24, police spokesman Officer Tim Fecht said.

Fecht said the driver was likely distracted by a cellphone. Witnesses said they saw the woman texting while driving, Fecht said.

The tag number provided to police by witnesses belongs to an Austell woman, Fecht said, and police plan to determine whether she was the driver. If she was, they will cite her for failing to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, which carries a $250 fine in Dunwoody, and possibly for using a cellphone while driving, which carries a $178 fine, Fecht said.

“This is the same as when someone rear-ends a car because they were on the phone,” Fecht said.

He added that while driving and talking on a cellphone is legal, texting while driving is never permitted.

Police make it a priority to be present in school zones, Fecht said, but noted increased police presence will continue in the Dunwoody school zones throughout the week.

Dunwoody City Councilman John Heneghan’s son was pulled to safety by a crossing guard at Chesnut Elementary last year. Heneghan blogged Wednesday that the crosswalk lights that were installed over the summer near the southern driveway of the school and a carpool lane would soon be moved to the main crosswalk directly in front of the school.

“As per our Public Works Director, Mr. Michael Smith, this change will likely take place over the week of Thanksgiving break, with a fallback deadline of the semester break in December,” Heneghan wrote.

Heneghan added that other items being explored include additional street lighting and an additional school zone flashing light on North Peachtree Road near Peachford, warning drivers that there is a second school in the “School Zone,” because some drivers might not know that Peachtree Charter Middle School is adjacent to the elementary school.

“There’s a lot of signage over there but they want to make it clear as day that this is a school zone,” Fecht said.