Pooler’s Mayor makes statement following child hit by car, in talks with SCCPSS Superintendent

POOLER, Ga. (WTOC) - Following a terrifying accident Thursday involving a child being hit by a car, Pooler’s Mayor Karen Williams is speaking out.

This comes after Pooler Police said the student was hit by a car at a bus stop on Thursday morning. You can find our coverage of that here.

The incident happened at South Rogers Street and Mell Street at around 7:30 a.m. that day.

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System says the student goes to West Chatham Middle School and was hit while crossing Rogers Street to board the bus at the bus stop.

Saturday night, Mayor Williams made a statement to Facebook looking to clarify a few things: “The terrible incident in which a child was struck by a driver while attempting to board a school bus has shaken our entire community. As a mother and as your Mayor, my heart is with the child and their family. The child loaded the school bus and was immediately taken to the school nurse, who alerted EMS. I am grateful to share that the child was stable, but was monitored as a precautionary measure, and received the best possible medical care. ”

Mayor Williams did clarify that the incident did not occur within a designated school zone (Rogers and Mell Street, which is close to Hwy 80).

Williams said, “That does not mean it does not involve us. It deeply involves our concern, our responsibility, and our shared duty to protect every child in Pooler. This heartbreaking event reminds us that safety for our students extends far beyond the school zone signs; it follows them home, to their neighborhoods, and to every stop along the way.”

She says she knows some Pooler residents who expressed frustration that she did not immediately make a statement or speak publicly about the accident.

She responded to that by saying, “I hear you. In those first moments and thereafter, my immediate focus has been ensuring accurate information, communicating with the City Manager and our Police Department, and speaking directly with the Superintendent, Dr. Watts, to ensure the family’s needs and the child’s medical care were prioritized. Communication took time because the well-being of the child always came first."

Mayor Williams continued that Pooler Police have identified the driver involved, and that the matter will be fervently pursued with the utmost seriousness and diligence to ensure full accountability under the law.

She also says that once the driver was identified, more communication between Mayor Williams and the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Superintendent, Dr. Watts, took place. Williams said open dialogue between the two has been happening throughout this incident, including today (Saturday).

Mayor Williams says this tragic incident has prompted more conversations about additional safety measures.

“While this tragic event did not happen in or near a school zone, we are committed to strengthening safety across the board. In past months, the City Manager and I rode up and down Pine Barren several times counting the school zone signage. There is always room for improvement which we have already discussed prior to this accident, i.e., adding school zone times on the signs, etc. We have also identified some crosswalks that need attention. In the meantime, I passionately stress and request that all drivers slow down at known bus stops, slow down when you see a school bus, and stop whether the school bus has extended the arm and turned on the lights. Our precious children should be our priority as we take to the roads to get to work, etc. ”

Pooler Mayor Karen Williams

She continued that Pooler is a community that takes care of one another, especially the children who live there.

“This incident has our full attention and unwavering commitment. Together, we will learn from this tragedy, strengthen our systems, and make certain that every child, every driver, and every family gets home safely, but we can’t do that alone. We need your help by driving carefully and not getting distracted, which we have all done from time to time,” Mayor Williams concluded.

Pooler Police says the child received minor injuries and is expected to be okay.

The incident is under investigation by Pooler Police and the Board of Education Police Department.

We’ll continue to provide updates as they become available.