Speeding concerns rise in Springfield neighborhood after recent hit-and-run

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — On July 13, just after 9 p.m., officers responded to a hit-and-run on Blaine and Hayes Avenue that sent two people to the hospital, leaving one of them in critical condition.

Residents in the area of the hit-and-run say speeding has been a big problem in the neighborhood for a while.

“It’s about like Highway 65, people come through here running 60, 70, 80,” said Brenda Daniels.

Brenda Daniels has lived in her home for about 15 years just off of Blaine Street and she says it’s progressively gotten worse in the past couple of years.

“We got a lot of children, we got a lot of families. Children, they play ball, they ride bikes. I got a great-grandson and everything, and God help if somebody hit one of these kids, I’ll be all over it. I promise you,” said Daniels.

Nathan Hayes and his family love being the home base for kids around the neighborhood to come and play basketball and jump on the trampoline, but lately, he’s been frustrated with drivers who treat the street like it’s a racetrack.

“I believe that a stronger police presence around here would help a lot,” said Hayes. “And another thing that I think would help a lot would be to install some speed bumps throughout the neighborhoods.”

Although Daniels didn’t see the accident, she said with the way drivers are flying down the street, she hopes this is the last time an accident like that happens near her neighborhood.

“It’ll be a sad day if a kid get hit. That would just devastate me,” said Daniels. “No, I try to watch out because I’m home and everything, but majority of the people that come through just speed, they don’t even look in my direction because I’m on my porch.”

Springfield Police say if anyone has a concern regarding traffic in their neighborhood to go ahead and contact their Springfield Police area officer for their neighborhood.

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