BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — The family of a DeKalb County woman hit and killed by two drivers is calling for improvements on a busy Brookhaven road.
Amanda Whitaker's mother, Linda Powell, died on Oct. 19, crossing the street at Clairmont Road and Clairmont Drive close to Plaza Fiesta trying to take public transportation to her job.
Brookhaven Police arrested both drivers for felony hit-and-run. The police department said Powell is the second pedestrian to die along Clairmont Road in 2023.
Now, Powell's family is grieving this holiday season without her-- a beloved sister, mother and grandmother to eight.
"She was a human being. She was left in the road like she was nothing. Now there's three families devastated because two people decided to just keep going," Whitaker said.
On Tuesday evening, Whitaker spoke out at Brookhaven's City Council meeting-- hoping no one else has to feel their pain.
Brookhaven Councilman John J. Funny said at the meeting the council wants to take steps to improve pedestrian safety along Clairmont Road.
"We have had discussions with the administration, and they're doing a great job of evaluating this area," Funny said. "They're going to go through and perform an analysis and come back to city council, and they'll share with us their findings."
The traffic analysis is expected to be completed within 90 days.
"This has been a tragic loss that has happened in our city and one that we certainly don't want to see happen again. The fact that the family is taking time out to engage us directly is really admirable," Councilwoman Jennifer Owens added at the meeting.
Whitaker said she would like to see a crosswalk and extra lighting as she mourns her mother-- gone at just 55 years old.
"She was going to be moving to Mexico this coming summer, and just like that, all of her dreams, all of her hopes, all of her wishes just gone," Whitaker said.