A wrong-way driver caused chaos Sunday as they sped through a parade route, nearly hitting participants.
WRAL received cellphone footage of the alarming incident during Hillside High School’s annual homecoming parade. People were heard screaming to move out of the way as the driver sped past along Fayetteville Street.
“I just remember hearing someone scream, ‘move, move, move!’ said Durham City Councilman Leonardo Williams, who was walking along the parade’s path. “We looked up, and it was a car coming toward us, at least 60 to 70 mph.”
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The car barely missed Councilman Williams and children from R.N. Harris Elementary School, who was marching in the parade.
Williams admitted that he was afraid that this would end up like the tragedy during Raleigh’s 2022 Christmas Parade, where 11-year-old Hailey Brooks was struck and killed by a truck carrying a parade float.
Thankfully, no one was hurt in the homecoming parade.
Now, Williams hopes that the near-miss will make organizers more vigilant in their preparations, especially with North Carolina Central’s homecoming parade coming up on Nov. 4.
“Hopefully, we’ve learned and are going to learn from this today and better secure the parade for NCCU’s homecoming, which is going to be even more people,” Williams said.
Durham police are investigating.
