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(UPDATE) Driver cited after striking and injuring two pedestrians in Decatur

Crime and public safety Decatur DeKalb County slideshow Trending

(UPDATE) Driver cited after striking and injuring two pedestrians in Decatur

The intersection of Church Street and East Trinity Place. Image obtained via Google Maps
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Decatur, GA — A driver struck two pedestrians  — a male and a female — in downtown Decatur on Saturday evening.

According to a person who answered the Decatur Police Department’s non-emergency number, the incident occurred at the intersection of Church Street and East Trinity Place. A reader who contacted Decaturish said their husband passed the scene and saw “lots of emergency crews, a person in the road, and an SUV.”

Decatur Police Sgt. John Bender said police responded to the call around 6:30 p.m.

“The … investigation revealed an adult male and female were walking north within a crosswalk crossing Church Street,” Bender said. “The driver of a black 2022 Chevrolet Silverado was turning east onto East Trinity Place from Church Street. The driver failed to yield to the pedestrians and struck both of them in the crosswalk. Both pedestrians were transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Chevrolet was issued a citation for failing to yield to a pedestrian.”

In other public safety news:

Decaturish readers asked about Decatur’s plan for dealing with a train derailment like the one in Ohio that involved a train carrying toxic chemicals.

In response to those questions, which Decaturish forwarded to the city, City Manager Andrea Arnold read a lengthy statement during the Feb. 21 City Commission meeting detailing the city’s preparedness plans and explained how the city would work with other agencies in the event of a similar disaster occurring in Decatur.

The short version is: the city has thought about this and there is a plan in place. But, Arnold added, any such derailment would be inherently “Complex and chaotic.”

To learn more about the city’s response plans, click here.

— The Avondale Estates City Commission is considering hiring a contractor to help the city rewrite the police department’s policy manual. The board discussed the contract during a work session on Wednesday, Feb. 22. 

The city has been meeting with the Avondale Alliance for Racial Justice often to keep them informed about activities in the police department, but to also discuss ways the department can regain and rebuild community trust, City Manager Patrick Bryant said.

“One of the things that came out of that discussion was that they would appreciate a real close, detailed look at our policies, especially given the failure to meet state [accreditation],” Bryant said.

Members of the community and the Avondale Alliance for Racial Justice have been advocating for a third-party consultant. The board first considered hiring a consultant in June 2020 and interviewed two candidates in September 2020. Residents at the meeting continued to urge the city commission to hire a consultant during a meeting in September 2021.

The city commission is considering contracting with Lexipol for policy services and a wellness program for police officers. As part of the contract, Lexipol would help the city rewrite the police department’s policy manual, with some assistance from the AARJ. The city would also use a subscription service from Lexipol to update the manual as needed as laws change.

To read the full story, click here.

— A fire in the Oakhurst neighborhood destroyed a local home and displaced the man living there.

Fire Chief Toni Washington said firefighters responded to the residence in the 300 block of West Benson Street at 3:11 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17.

“Upon arrival, flames and smoke were showing from the exterior of the home,” Washington said. “A primary search revealed no one occupied the house at the time of the fire. The fire was contained mainly in the kitchen.  Significant smoke and heat damage was noted throughout the residence.  DeKalb Engine 3 responded to backfill Decatur Fire Station 1. No injuries were reported.”

The homeowner, Elliott Augustine, has received an outpouring of support from the neighborhood.

For the full story, click here.

Reporter Zoe Seiler contributed to this story. 

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