CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — A week after Sarah Queen was tragically killed at a crosswalk near the Cleveland County fair, her loved ones are calling for urgent safety improvements.
Sarah Queen was struck and killed by an 82-year-old driver who failed to slow down as she crossed the street just before the fair gates opened, police said.
That driver has since been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle.
“We definitely don’t want anything like that to happen again, so to me it’s important,” said Rod Powell, a friend of Sarah Queen, who is advocating for changes at the crosswalk.
During the Cleveland County Fair, there were only cones and a lone caution light at the crosswalk where the incident occurred. Powell and Queen’s family believe these measures were insufficient.
Powell suggests implementing temporary safety measures during the fair, such as digital displays warning drivers of pedestrians, portable speed humps, and solar-powered speed readers to remind drivers to slow down.
Powell also emphasized the importance of these measures being in place a day or two before the fair to acclimate drivers to the increased pedestrian traffic.
Advocates for Sarah Queen are determined to push for these changes to prevent future tragedies, with Powell planning to rally community support to lobby local government for action.
VIDEO: Woman volunteering at county fair struck, killed while crossing the street
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
