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Man arrested in hit-and-run that left Decatur crossing guard injured

Police said the man is now facing charges.

DECATUR, Ga. — A 38-year-old man is facing charges after police said he is believed to be the driver behind a hit-and-run crash in Decatur.

Police said they arrested the Decatur resident Tuesday evening in connection with a crash that hurt crossing guard Jeffery Smith.

Smith was struck around 8:20 a.m. Monday at the intersection of South Candler Street and East College Avenue. The busy intersection is not far from Decatur High School near Agnes Scott College. 

The crossing guard entered the intersection during the appropriate time to walk a student across South Candler Street when a driver in a red sedan was turning onto the street and struck Smith, according to Decatur Police. The driver didn't stop. 

"We have lots and lots of kids that walk to school every day," Sgt. John Bender said. "For an incident like this to happen - it really strikes close to home for us."

Bender said officers found the suspect vehicle, a red Chevy Cruze, on Tuesday. 

The real key piece of evidence, according to Bender, came from a Decatur High School student who stayed at the crash site and offered a witness statement describing the vehicle and providing a tag number. Police were able to use that information to find the suspected hit-and-run driver, Bender said.

As for Smith, police said the 69-year-old was struck in the back. He went to the hospital for treatment on Monday and has since been recovering at home with family.

"Decatur is a tight-knit community," Bender said. "We do everything we can to keep these kids safe."

The guards, who are employed by DPD, tend to be elderly or of retirement age, Bender explained. There are 42 guards who work within the city at major intersections. 

"These people come out every single day to do a thankless job," Bender said. "They're really amazing people."

He further emphasized that the crossing guards go above and beyond to bring the community joy and to keep people safe. Crossing guards often dress up on holidays and create connections with young students, making Decatur a pleasant place to live, Bender said.

Nearby schools are planning to offer care packages to Smith as he stays off the streets during his recovery.

As for the man accused of the crash, he is facing a hit-and-run and failing to yield to a pedestrian charges. Speed at this time is not a factor in the investigation, Bender said.

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