A beloved crossing guard named Dale Chavous was hit and killed on the job in Meriden on Wednesday morning, and now the community and his family are honoring his memory.
Chavous became a Meriden crossing guard in August. He helped hundreds of kids get to school and home safely, but only two months into his job, his life was cut short.
“It’s been really eye-opening just to see how many people he touched, and how much our crossing guards mean to us,” said Kelly Bristol, who shares two children and two grandchildren with Chavous. “You don’t expect something like this to happen. And when it does, you don’t know how to deal with it. You do the best you can.”
Chavous’s family said he loved helping the kids cross every day, but his favorite Meriden students were his two granddaughters, Liliana and Karsyn.
“He was a good papa,” said granddaughter Karsyn Durant.
Chavous was hit and killed on Broad Street Wednesday morning while on crossing guard duty.
State crash data show 22 pedestrian crashes on Broad Street since 2021.
“It’s a very busy intersection. Today there’s two crossing guards, and maybe that’s a good thing,” said Bristol.
It’s a loss not only rattling Chavous’s family and the city, but the crossing guard community across the state too.
“It brought a tear to my eye. It’s very emotional,” Wallingford crossing guard Larry Munson said.
Munson is pleading with drivers to slow down, don’t be distracted, and respect the people who work to keep children safe.
“The man is a father and grandfather,” Munson said. “Use a little more forward thinking, be more respectful. Just take a few moments.”
Police have not shared anything further about the circumstances of the crash. Officials said the driver stayed on scene, but they have not been identified and police have not said if the driver will face any charges at this time.
