ROANOKE, VA – Brenda Bowman is back at work today, standing between moving traffic and the children of Roanoke City Schools, ensuring they get to class safely, one crossing at a time.
She works along Salem Turnpike and Westwood, right near Fairview Elementary, where the streets can be especially hectic.
“All these communities that I serve, they’re my children,” Bowman said.
But five weeks ago, a normal afternoon took a terrifying turn. Bowman was guiding kids across the street when—
“Out of nowhere, here comes this white car, corner of my eye, just speeding through there. The kids were about that far in the crosswalk, so I ran over and told them to go back,” she said.
That’s when Bowman did what she’s always done — put herself between danger and the children.
“I put my hands out there and he ran over my foot,” she said.
Miraculously, no children were injured. But Bowman’s injury tells a bigger story — one of reckless driving and a daily threat to pedestrian safety.
“What are some of the biggest problems you see in this area?” 10 News Anchor Abbie Coleman asked.
“Speeding. People do not adhere to the 15 miles per hour, even when the lights are flashing. Yesterday, I had a person that brushed up against the front of me,” she said.
The biggest problem times? School drop off and pick up.
“What would you like to see happen in terms of safety here?” Coleman asked.
“I would like to see some kind of cameras. Also, I would like all the people to pay attention, slow down and obey the 15 miles per hour,” she said.
And that’s not all. She wants help.
“I’d also like to see an officer out here to help me. I’ve asked several times and I don’t get any response,” she said.
For now, Bowman is still showing up, still watching out for her kids, and still hoping for change.
“The only thing I could think of was the kids’ safety. If one of them got hit I would never... My heart goes out to children,” she said.
We reached out to Roanoke City for an interview on safety measures but they were not available.