Dunwoody Heads Back to School

It feels like the last day of the 2008-2009 school year was just last week but summer is over and school is starting up again. Yet many of us will not forget the last day of school this spring. It was the day a student was hit and severely injured on Chamblee Dunwoody in the school zone.

Dunwoody PD response was amazing. They took nearly half an hour to arrive, but given the probability they were 'trolling on 285 or guarding their favorite councilmen's neighborhoods, that was actually pretty good. Fortunately the county's first responders were already on the scene.

Now this was no ordinary hit and run, in fact it wasn't a hit and run at all. The driver stayed around. And this was no ordinary driver and no ordinary hit. This driver had to cross the center lane to hit the child with the back bumper . Imagine. Last day of school--last chance. Kid just off the bus. Cross the line for a back bumper bashing, knocking him right out of his shoe. The bonus points are over the top, definitely scoring an extra game and establishing a high score that may stand for years.

Normally one would be wondering when this driver gets out of prison, but remember, this is no ordinary hit. The driver wasn't charged--turns out it was the child's fault. And did the Dunwoody PD respond with patrols in a reactionary effort to calm traffic on this notorious bit of road? No way.

But it gets better. Not only did the DPD tell a nearby neighbor that there really aren't many speeders coming down that hill (this car was traveling downhill), but that the DPD doesn't have a traffic division! WHAT? Just what are those daily pull-overs on 285? Has someone stolen DPD cars and started their own money making operation? Of course, no one on the force would speak on record for fear of being quoted, but off the record comments indicate the police chief is proud of the fact his organization is "the only part of city government that makes money." In fact, he's hoping it will get him that much coveted fourth star.

The city did make one positive change. In an effort to help drivers in the area, they installed a cross walk practice dummy at the Redfield cross walk. This has given drivers all summer to hone their skills so maybe it won't take the entire school year for a repeat performance.