Mom wants changes to crosswalk after her hit by vehicle outside Delhi Secondary

The mother of a Delhi District Secondary student hit by a car on her way to get lunch wants a controlled stoplight installed at a crosswalk in front of the school.

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Fifteen-year-old Grade 10 student Xander Berry was hit by an SUV as he crossed James Street (Highway 3) on Friday just after 11:30 am Amanda Berry said her son suffered a broken nose and other injuries to his face after he was threw more than 30 feet and landed on his head at the curb.

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Norfolk OPP have charged a 55-year-old Norfolk County woman with careless driving — community safety zone.

The Grand Erie District School Board confirmed it was the third time in less than a year a student had been hit while using the crosswalk. A student was hit by a motorcycle driver in September 2022. Another student who “preceded the crossing guard into the intersection” was hit by a vehicle in November 2022.

“It was the worst call ever,” Berry said when her daughter, a Grade 12 student at Delhi District, called her at work and “screamed into the phone, ‘Xander’s been hit by a car!’”

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Berry, who works nearby, was at the scene within minutes. She said Xander was still on the ground when she arrived. He was taken by ambulance to Norfolk General Hospital in Simcoe.

“I was in the ambulance. I was holding my son’s homework, which was covered with blood.”

After some initial testing at Norfolk General, Xander was transferred by ambulance to McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton. CT scans and X-rays revealed he had no broken bones but suffered a severe concussion. His facial injuries include a cut on his chin, which required 11 stitches, a cut above his right ear, holes in his bottom lip where he bit through it and severe road rash on his cheek. Berry said he’ll require plastic surgery on his nose. He also suffered serious road rash on his hips and legs.

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She said hospital staff told her a heavy-duty jacket Xander was wearing may have saved his life.

“I constantly had to leave the (hospital) room because I was crying and I didn’t want him to see me.”

Berry said Xander was hit by an SUV as he headed to a pizza restaurant using the crosswalk, located just outside the school’s main office. She said hundreds of students leave the school daily to get fast food.

The crosswalk has markings on the road and overhead lights that flash in both directions when activated. Berry said the crosswalk is manned by an adult crossing guard, who activates the lights and then walks out holding a stop sign.

She said three vehicles had stopped at the crosswalk on the two-lane street when the SUV, traveling on the inside lane, hit Xander.

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“The crossing guard was there holding the stop sign out and tried grabbing my son. He doesn’t remember being hit.”

Berry said the incident was caught on a camera located at the front of the school and by many student witnesses.

On Monday, Dave Smouter, manager of communication and community relations for the Grand Erie District School Board, said “counselling was available at the school on Friday to support students and that support remains in place today, and as long as it is needed.”

Berry said she went back to the scene over the weekend and took photos and video of the tire marks on the road. She said Highway 3 leading into Delhi has speed limit signs that gradually slow drivers from 80 km/h to 40 km/h. There are also signs telling drivers there is a crosswalk ahead and prohibiting passing.

“It’s not enough,” said Berry. “We need a controlled stoplight and the crossing guard still needs to be there.

“My son doesn’t want anyone else to go through this.”

Smouter said the school board supports the installation of a controlled traffic light at the crosswalk.

A rally will be held at the crosswalk, 393 James St., on Friday at 11:20 am to promote the need for a traffic light and a speed camera at the site. A petition — at https://chng.it/jYh6FShTgm — is also being circulated calling for controlled stops and increased fines in all school zones.

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