OREM, Utah -- A little boy named Eric Longhurst inspired the Orem Police Department to do something new. They spent Thursday conducting a sting operation, stopping cars that broke crosswalk laws.
Eric was an 11-year-old boy who died after being hit by a truck while he rode his scooter on a crosswalk in Orem.
Thursday, Orem police conducted a sting. An officer in plain clothes crossed State Street at 800 North while a motorcycle officer and an officer in an unmarked car looked on.
Time after time, cars disobeyed the basic rule outlined by Orem Police Lt. Craig Martinez.
“When they're in the crosswalk, you're required to wait for that pedestrian until they're off your half of the street,” Martinez said.
Four cars were stopped as FOX 13’s camera looked on, with an officer giving warnings or writing citations depending on the circumstances.
“One of our officers was crossing the road, and a lady turned in front of him, and she was on the cell phone, not talking but texting,” Martinez said.
While drivers are responsible to watch for pedestrians and stop when they’re in a crosswalk, Martinez said it’s also important for pedestrians to always assume the driver will not stop until they have evidence otherwise.
“It’s what I tell my kids: 'Even though you're in a crosswalk, even though you're with the light, you've got to make eye contact with the driver close to you and make sure they see you,'” Martinez said.
