A mother whose family narrowly avoided being struck by a car outside Pinecrest Academy St. Rose has thanked the crossing guard who placed himself between them and the approaching vehicle.
Kae’la Leon Guerrero reunited Thursday with crossing guard Richard Jones, one day after the close call. She hugged Jones and told him how grateful she and her children were for his quick response.
Jones, an employee of All City Management Services, received praise from school staff after video of the incident circulated online. Some called him a hero, although Jones said he was simply trying to do his job as well as he could.
Understandably, Guerrero said the experience left her 5-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son shaken. She has continued reassuring them since the incident.
Dashcam owner Jake Garcia also credited Jones with protecting the family. Garcia regularly uses the road while taking his son to another school.
Video Reveals Narrow Escape
The close call happened Wednesday morning while Guerrero and her children were using a school-zone crosswalk. She was holding her daughter’s hand, while her son walked behind them.
Dashcam footage showed a car rapidly approaching as the family crossed. Leon Guerrero said they noticed the vehicle in the distance but did not initially realize how quickly it was moving.
Jones responded by stepping toward the vehicle and positioning himself in front of the family.
“He shielded us,” Guerrero told FOX5 Las Vegas.
The car came within 10 feet of the family before continuing away from the scene. Jones estimated that it was traveling about 35 mph in an area with a posted school-zone limit of 15 mph. That speed estimate has not been independently confirmed
Mother Urges Drivers To Slow Down
Guerrero said the situation could have ended very differently without Jones’ intervention. She hopes the footage encourages motorists to exercise greater care near schools.
She urged drivers to follow posted speed limits, put away their phones and watch for children, parents and crossing guards.
Driving well above the posted limit in a school zone is unacceptable because children can be difficult to see and may move unpredictably.
Higher speeds shorten a driver’s reaction time while increasing stopping distance and the severity of any collision. School-zone limits exist to protect vulnerable pedestrians during arrival hours.
The incident underscores how quickly unsafe driving can endanger families in a school zone—and how one person’s rapid response can prevent a potential tragedy.
As of Aug. 28, authorities had not publicly announced whether the driver had been identified or cited. Meanwhile, Jones’ actions continued to draw praise online. One Facebook user whose daughter attended Pinecrest Academy St. Rose wrote:
“He really is an amazing crossing guard. My daughter was going to Pinecrest St. Rose & came across this crossing guard all the time. He is VERY good at his job. I hope he gets more recognition because he really does make it known to drivers to slow down & handle traffic well. I really hope that driver and others are held accountable.”
The comment reflected the impact Jones has made among families in the school community.