There are now school staff members posted at the crosswalk near the 7th and Sherman intersection during the school day, following an accident last week when an 8-year-old Wayne youth was struck by a driver.

According to the Facebook page of Mayor Ken Chamberlain, Wayne Community Schools will have a staff member posted at the crosswalk from 7:30-8 a.m. and 3:30-4 p.m. each day.

Traveling westbound through Wayne on Tuesday, Sept. 30, Wendy Escalante, 40, of Winside, failed to notice a traffic signal change and drove through and struck Noah Longe, who was crossing W. 7th St. at the crosswalk.

According to the Wayne Police Department, shortly before 4 p.m. Noah and a group of students had activated the stop signal at the marked crosswalk in the 500 block of W. 7th St. (Hwy. 35) and were walking across when Escalante’s vehicle struck Noah in the westbound lane.

The Wayne Police was assisted by a Providence Medical Center Ambulance, Wayne Fire and Rescue and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

Noah was taken by ambulance to Providence Medical Center in Wayne for treatment of his injuries and was later transferred to a Sioux City Hospital for further treatment.

Information from police investigation and witness statements resulted in Escalante being cited for careless driving and traffic signal violation. Formal charges are pending with the Wayne County Attorney’s Office.

Chamberlain and city officials are working with the Nebraska Department of Roads to make changes around the intersection that will increase the safety of children crossing the highway.