One young Albany student killed, another critically injured after being hit by car

ALBANY — The intersection of Leonard Avenue and North Mock Road was the scene of a fatal accident Friday morning when four children walking to school were struck by a car, according to the Albany Police Department. One child died, one was critically injured and two sustained injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

Antonio Shed Jr., 9, died from his injuries, Albany Police Department spokeswoman Phyllis Banks said. Jahkara Arnold, 10, was seriously injured and flown to an Atlanta hospital, which Dougherty County School System officials earlier had identified that facility as Egleston Children’s Hospital.

Also injured were Te’unna Shed, 6, who was transferred to a Macon hospital, and Jahlana Arnold, 7, who was treated at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, according to APD officials.

Banks said that preliminary reports on the incident, which occurred at 7:02 a.m., indicated that the four children were walking westward on Leonard Avenue toward Turner Elementary School when they walked into the path of a 2016 Chrysler 200 driven by Montavious Johnson, 26, of Albany.

Banks said Johnson, who was traveling north in the 200 block of Mock Road stated that, “he did not see the pedestrians.”

Investigators were unclear whether the children were crossing in the designated crosswalk.

“We don’t know yet if the children were or were not within the crosswalk,” said APD Officer William Dowdell. “We should have better details later. It is also still too early to tell if any charges will be filed against the driver. It is still under investigation.

“We still have some more witnesses to confirm stories with, but once we get all of that and get a timeline together, we’ll try to determine exactly what took place prior to finding out, for sure, if there will or will not be any charges.”

Officials stressed that the risk of such tragedies could be reduced if motorists would remain aware and cautious when driving in and around school zones.

“We are reminding motorists that this is school time,” Dowdell said. “In the early morning hours, the children are out. Afternoon hours, the children are out. Be mindful of where you are. Know where the schools are. On the roadways closer to schools, there are going to be crossings there.

“So, leave early, reduce your speed, scan the roadway ahead of you, and make sure that you are very vigilant about what’s around you and what’s near you. Just try to be prepared for any obstacle that may approach.”

J.D. Sumner, a spokesman for the Dougherty County School System, said that crossing guards for that school crossing zone report for work at 7:15 a.m., and that the guard had just arrived when the incident occurred.

Sumner also said the school system had personnel at the hospital “with the family there, helping any way that they can,” Friday and that grief counselors had been sent to Turner Elementary that morning.