LAYTON, Utah — A crossing guard working near a Layton elementary school was killed after being struck by a vehicle early Tuesday.
According to police, 67-year-old Steve Winn was hit on Main Street near 1600 North, which is located near Vae View Elementary School, while holding a stop sign and wearing a reflective vest. A witness to the incident immediately jumped in and performed life-saving measures on Winn before emergency crews arrived on the scene.
"Appears at this point that [Winn] was doing everything the way he was supposed to be doing it. The lights appear to be configured in a way that he was supposed to be out there, crossing the kids and had just finished, when this car came through northbound," said Lt. Travis Lyman with the Layton Police Department. "We are still working through the details of exactly what caused the car to not stop,"
Although several children were in the area when the accident occurred, none were injured and the female driver that hit Winn is cooperating with police.
"She stayed at the scene and has cooperated and is very upset about what happened as well," added Lyman.
Winn's death was a shock for those who saw him assisting students each school day.
"Shocking," said Charles Pierce who lives nearby. "I mean, when you lose anybody or someone is gone from your life, even a small role, it makes you think about your own, your own mortality.
"I'll think about it every time I drive past here every morning."
In a note to parents, Vae View Elementary School principal Sophia Fleming said grief counselors would be made available to any student "having a difficult challenge" following the accident.
The exact circumstances behind the incident are not yet known. The Utah Highway Patrol and the Clearfield Police Department are investigating the man's death.
"Mornings and afternoons, when there's a lot of traffic and we know that there's crossings are open and kids are on their way to school, people just need to pay attention and don't get distracted by the things that tend to distract us all the time," added Lyman.
A GoFundMehas been set up for Winn's family.
