Fort Smith police developing driver safety plan while family grieves teen’s death

FORT SMITH, Ark. ( KNWA/KFTA) — A 13-year-old boy was hit by a driver while he was walking home from the library in Fort Smith on Oct. 11.

Prior to the incident, the Fort Smith Police Department launched the Safe Fort Smith Plan, which aims to help with driver safety.

The city of Fort Smith has been working on a plan to keep pedestrians and drivers safe, and as for the family of the 13-year-old boy who was killed on Friday, they’re devastated.

Rosa Ramirez is the sister of 13-year-old Nehemiah who was killed by an impaired driver Friday afternoon. She says that her brother was a shining light, and she never thought it would happen to him. “I’m filled with so much anger. I’m still in shock about it. I don’t want to believe it’s true,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez’s greatest fear was true.  Her brother was hit and killed while crossing 44th Street at a busy Kelly Highway on Friday afternoon. Police say it was by an impaired driver.

“He didn’t deserve this, and I will fight for his justice in any way that I can. How many more lives do we have to lose in order for people to do better? This is not the first time this has happened to a child in Fort Smith,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez’s brother is the latest in a number of walkers and bicyclists hit by Fort Smith drivers, and that’s why the Fort Smith Police Department says it launched a new safe Fort Smith program. Which in part, will involve more officers on patrol, but it will take some time.

“Clearly, it’s not enough when something like this happens, and we do have a pressing need in this city for improved mobility infrastructure,” said Aric Mitchell with the Fort Smith Police Department.

However, the city and board of directors have made headway on the program. “Our city and board of directors, they voted on that last month and enacted the Safe Fort Smith Plan,” said Mitchell.

While the plan is still a work in progress, Ramirez and her brother Jose Garcia say that you should hold on to your family members. “I need everyone to hold their little ones tight. Be there more often. Just love them because you never know. They’ll be here one day, and the next day, they could be gone in a blink of an eye,” said Garcia.

The Fort Smith Police Department continues the investigation of the driver. As far as the Safe Fort Smith plan, it is still underway and complete details have not been released.

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