LAKE WALES, Fla. — The City of Lake Wales will make safety changes after a teen was killed at a bus stop before dawn last Friday.
According to the Lake Wales Police Department, 13-year-old Jadin Galindo was sitting in an alley near the intersection of Dr. J.A. Wiltshire Avenue and Miami Street when he was hit around 6:15 a.m.
According to Deputy Chief Dave Black, officers don’t believe the driver was speeding or impaired and said, by every indication, no one is to blame for the tragedy.
The tragedy, however, led to calls for better lighting in the area behind Florida’s Natural orange juice plant.
Commissioner Terrye Howell, who lives nearby, believes the lack of lighting in the area may have contributed to the tragedy.
“A lot of people have said there’s not enough light,” Howell said. “What do I think? I think that when we all talk about this now because of this tragedy, I think something will be done.”
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Monday evening, in an interview with ABC Action News, Lake Wales Mayor Jack Hilligoss said the city is moving forward with changes to improve the safety at the bus stop where Galindo was killed.
After a discussion with Duke Energy, Hilligoss expects better lighting and other safety features will be installed at the bus stop before the end of the week.
#BREAKING: After a 13 year old was hit and killed at a bus stop Friday morning before dawn, #LakeWales’ Mayor says the city will work w/ @DukeEnergy to add more lighting to that stop and work w/ @PolkSchoolsNews to audit safety needs at other stops too. @abcactionnews #PolkCounty pic.twitter.com/XDnnY7jxwZ
— Chad K. Mills (@ChadKMills) February 7, 2023
Additionally, he said the city is also working with the Polk County Public Schools District to locate the hundreds of other bus stops within city limits to determine if other stops also need safety upgrades.
That process could take several months.
Monday night, Maria Lozano and her two children — Abby and Neymar — visited the bus stop where Galindo was killed.
There, Abby, 6, and Neymar, 8, placed a koala bear plush toy at a growing memorial. The two said they knew Galindo from the Boys & Girls Club.
“He was our friend, and he would make us a lot of cartoons and stuff," Abby said.
“I didn’t know him personally, but the way that my kids talk about him, I mean, I can tell he was a sweet kid," her mother added.
While Lozano said it's unfortunate it took a tragedy to spur change, she and her children were pleased to hear that changes are coming.
"I don’t want no more kids to be hurt," Neymar said.
