Gilroy parents demand safety changes after couple killed in crash outside school

GILROY, Calif. (KGO) — Parents say safety changes are needed outside a Gilroy school where a mother and father were hit and killed by a car.

They are now pleading for safer pathways around schools after Andrew and Stacia Stuart were hit and killed while in a crosswalk on January 16th during school drop-off. The parents leave behind 7-year-old twins.

One of Jennifer Keef’s children goes to the elementary school across the street.

“And just seeing everything that happened after, I cried the whole week,” Keef said.

Keef and other parents are planning a peaceful protest on Wednesday evening, ahead of a joint meeting with city council and Gilroy Unified School District.

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The district has said they’re close partners, committed to reinforcing safety protocols.

Parents are demanding some kind of change be made.

“At least at the minimum crossing guards and they won’t allow parents to do it, which is unfortunate that they’re telling parents you can’t do it, it’s too much of a liability, then they won’t pay for them,” Keef said.

Jeanna Licata and one of her daughters witnessed the seconds after the Stuarts were hit.

“I said lets say a little prayer and we can talk about it when you get home,” Licata said. “It’s hard when you’re sending a child off to school and they just witnessed something so tragic.”

Licata said her daughter was nearly hit while in a crosswalk almost one year ago.

“I thought I was going to lose my daughter; it was within inches of losing my daughter,” Licata said.

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The next day, she recorded video showing her daughter in crossing the street, and once again, a car drives though as she crosses.

And she’s not the only one with stories.

Addrienne Rodriguez believes crossing guards at every school is needed.

“I myself personally have been almost hit, picking up my kids to school, I’ve seen kids almost hit, parents, grandparents,” Rodriguez said.

Parents ABC7 Eyewitness News spoke to agree – they’d like the city and district to do something.

“And just a simple taking your kids to school is not safe and it shouldn’t be that way and I’m just sick of it and I’m sick of the school and the city doing nothing,” Keef said.

Police say the driver who hit the Stuarts is cooperating with the investigation.