This story was updated on Sept. 6 with a press release from Maplewood Police and a statement from Maplewood Township Administrator Patrick Wherry.
A mother and her child were struck by a car outside Seth Boyden School on Wednesday, September 3, after school. The victims were not critically injured but are recovering from bruises, sprains and stitches.
“We were hit at the intersection of Tuscan and Boyden,” said Nicole Abernathy, who also reported that a crossing guard was not present although it was 3:50 p.m. — “just 20 minutes after dismissal and the traffic was incredibly chaotic as it frequently seems to be.”
Per the Maplewood Police website, a crossing guard should be stationed at the intersection until 4 p.m. on school days.
In a press release, Maplewood Police reported that the driver of the car, 60-year-old Tycina Washington of Little Falls, NJ, “was traveling north on Boyden Avenue. She came to the intersection of Boyden Avenue and Tuscan Road when she made a left turn onto Tuscan Road. Washington reported that she did not see the pedestrians in the crosswalk and did not stop in time. Summonses were issued to Washington for Failure to Stop for Pedestrian in a Crosswalk, Careless Driving, and Failure to Exhibit Documents.” Read the full MPD release attached below.
“The car struck myself and then my son. He is thankfully okay, but very shaken up,” Abernathy told Village Green. “I took on most of the injuries including bruised and sprained bones, stitches, and a number of bruises on my leg from the initial hit. The driver ran both tires over us. I am okay, but certainly recovering.”
Another parent, Nina Essel, reported that Maplewood Police and EMT services responded to the incident with multiple vehicles. Seth Boyden Principal Shannon Glander “was also on scene and very supportive of family.” Essel said that Seth Boyden parents are now organizing to send emails and attend the next Maplewood Public Safety Committee meeting on Wednesday, September 10 (the meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. and is virtual).
In a statement sent to Village Green on Sept. 6, Township Administrator Patrick Wherry confirmed that no crossing guard was present and that police had covered the intersection only until 3:45 p.m., not the posted time of 4:00 p.m. Wherry wrote that Township officials “have taken immediate steps to ensure that when Crossing Guard coverage is required due to an absence, covering staff will be present at the times we have made public.”
Read Wherry’s full statement:
We were saddened to hear of the mother and child struck by a vehicle this past Wednesday while walking home from Seth Boyden Elementary School. This is an incredibly frightening situation, and one that we take very seriously.
The intersection where the collision occurred, Tuscan Road and Boyden Avenue, was scheduled to have a Crossing Guard present until 4 p.m. On that day, however, Maplewood Police Department staff were covering a Crossing Guard absence, and the covering staff were assigned to the post until 3:45 p.m. We have taken immediate steps to ensure that when Crossing Guard coverage is required due to an absence, covering staff will be present at the times we have made public.
We have asked our Police Chief and Township Engineer to evaluate conditions near Seth Boyden Elementary School. Pedestrian safety, especially around schools, remains a top priority for the Township of Maplewood, and one we will continue to focus our efforts and resources on. We will continue this discussion at the next Public Safety committee meeting. These meetings are open to the public, as are the semi-monthly Township Committee meetings. We thank members of the public who have already provided suggestions for improvements.
Essel noted, “This has been an ongoing issue for as long as I’ve been an Seth Boyden parent.” In an email to the Township Committee and Police Chief Albert Sally earlier in the week, Essel wrote, “This child’s second day of kindergarten should have been about walking to Honey and Hive for ice cream. Instead he spent the evening in the hospital with his mother.”
“The traffic surrounding Seth Boyden is dangerous and we require a more significant police presence immediately to ensure everyone’s safety.” Essel also reported that a solar-powered LED crossing sign at the intersection was not working.
Additionally, she said, “I was just told by a parent there was no crossing guard at Tuscan and Boyden yesterday at 8:30 a.m. — the day after the accident. School starts at 8:53 a.m.”
Said Abernathy, “It’s hard to express how deeply I feel that improvements need to be made.” She shared that she works a full-time job and has three additional children who “thankfully they were not present as they are all very young.”
In 2022, the Township of Maplewood began to implement a series of changes to the intersection to improve visibility and safety. A crosswalk was moved to the side of the street that is closer to the school, along with the curb ramps and solar-powered LED crossing signs. Some parking spaces on the west side of Boyden Avenue were also removed.
Related: Maplewood Plans to Improve Pedestrian Safety at Tuscan Road & Boyden Ave
Last October, after two Maplewood Middle School students were struck on Prospect Street at the Elmwood/Oakland intersection, parents took to the public safety committee meeting to demand improvements, including adding a crossing guard. Ultimately, flex posts or bollards were permanently added to the intersection. The girls have recovered, although one suffered seriously injuries requiring multiple surgeries.
