This disturbing video shows a crash on 30th Street in North Omaha. This automobile is flying into the outside play area at Crayon Castle Daycare. Fortunately, no children were injured, but passengers in the car were.
Speeding in this area is a concern, and we’ve been monitoring it for years. Melissa Wright, our north Omaha reporter, is following up with the daycare’s owner to see what she plans to do now.
It’s the Friday before Christmas, and the Crayon Castle is just about to close. A accident on 30th sends Tucker’s automobile careening into the play area.
JK Medina had just picked up his daughter and was putting her in her car seat when he heard the boom.
“It’s extremely scary, just the thought of it is one of the scariest things I’ve had to think about, you know, what could potentially could’ve been,” Medina told me.
This video, shared by daycare owner Jacque Casey, shows two cars driving on 30th before the white truck collides with the black sedan, causing the sedan to lose control and land in the daycare playground.
“It wasn’t if, but when this washing would happen. “It was bound to happen,” Casey said.
When I interviewed Casey a few weeks ago about neighborhood speeders, she told me exactly what she feared would happen.
“It could’ve been beyond tragic, to have to call these parents and say you know, we have 18 dead kids on the playground,” says Casey.
Casey says she has been contacting city officials for years to request assistance in slowing traffic.
When I asked what could be done, I was told that because 30th Street is technically a state highway, the city of Omaha has few options for changing the traffic flow.
“We pay taxes, we are entitled to have safety measures out in this area as well as anybody else, any of these other districts,” according to Casey.
“Parents, including myself, are constantly speeding here. “The intersection is extremely dangerous,” said Medina. “Very, you got to be real careful exciting and even coming in.”
Police say the driver of the white truck fled the scene. Multiple passengers in the sedan sustained serious injuries. The day after Christmas, James Vanderheiden was arrested in Douglas County for leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.
The calls for change in this neighborhood are becoming increasingly louder. As they seek a solution to prevent something worse from happening in the future.
“Four way stop signs, any sort of traffic light to slow down the distance from block to block,” Medina told the crowd.
“How remiss it would be of me to not do everything I possibly can,” she said.
Casey informed me that neither driver was insured. Leaving her to pay for a new fence and additional safety measures such as boulders on the inside.
I’m Melissa Wright from north Omaha.