FATAL CRASH

'He died a hero': Volunteer crossing guard dies saving kids from SUV near California middle school

Ashley Dias was volunteering at Stanley Middle School - the same middle school he attended while growing up in Lafayette, Ca.

By Kate Larsen
Thursday, September 9, 2021 11:14AM

LAFAYETTE, California -- Dismissal at a middle school in Lafayette, California took a tragic turn Tuesday when an SUV hit a volunteer crossing guard and student in front of the school.

Police say the SUV hit the crossing guard and a child around 3 p.m. The child suffered minor injuries but the crossing guard was rushed to the hospital.

The crossing guard's family told our sister station ABC7 that he was killed as he saved children from an oncoming car.

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"He was getting pulled out by the paramedics and he was getting CPR," said 6th grader, Stella Champion. "I think there was a kid injured, but the crossing guard saved the kid."

The crossing guard, 45-year-old Ashley Dias, was volunteering at Stanley Middle School - the same middle school he attended while growing up in Lafayette.

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