Atlanta, GA
Midtown Atlanta residents alarmed by surge in pedestrian hit-and-runs at rainbow crosswalks
Brutal hit and run caught on camera
Atlanta police have identified a hit and run driver and cited her for the accident. Investigators say a car plowed into Vernon Thomas on Monday afternoon at Atlanta’s Rainbow Crossing at 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue in Midtown. Amazingly, his injuries were not life threatening.
ATLANTA – Midtown neighborhood residents are concerned over an increase in pedestrians being struck while crossing Atlanta’s iconic rainbow crosswalks.
It was the second hit-and-run crash caught on camera at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue.
SEE ALSO: Driver wanted for hit-and-run crash in Midtown Atlanta, police say
What we know:
On Monday, just after 2:45 p.m., witnesses spotted a light-colored car strike a man sending his body soaring in the air.
That man was identified as Vernon Thomas.
Miraculously, Thomas survived and continued to recover at Grady Memorial Hospital as of Thursday afternoon.
The driver, identified as Jasmine Nettles, has been cited for leaving the scene of the accident, according to police.
What they’re saying:
Witness Akil Jules, who watched the crash unfold from his car on Piedmont Avenue, described the moment as horrifying. “All I see is like, a car speeding off, and someone landing on the floor,” Jules recalled. “I was in the car at that point and they just weren’t moving, and people were checking on them and he was on the floor. I thought he was gone.”
Jules, a software engineer, said the severity of the crash was unlike anything he’s seen before on Atlanta roads. “I know Atlanta drivers are bad, but that was the worst I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said. “That was a pretty rough hit. I am just hoping he can make a full recovery from that.”
The backstory:
The incident comes just two weeks after another pedestrian, Ashley Drumm, was also struck by a vehicle near the same area and remains hospitalized with serious injuries.
Drumm is still recovering after breaking both femurs and fracturing her skull, among other injuries.
Both crashes have renewed concerns about pedestrian safety in Midtown, an area known for heavy foot traffic and busy intersections.
What’s next:
Atlanta police say the investigations are ongoing.
The Source: FOX 5’s Aungelique Proctor talked with the accident witness, Atlanta police and witnesses.