MATTHEWS, N.C. — There's a huge push to make a dangerous Matthews road safer after a car went off Sam Newell Road in June and down a steep embankment, killing 7-year-old Lyla Chaudhary.
Ali Chaundhary, Lyla’s father, is pushing for changes to be made to prevent another tragedy.
The Department of Transportation said it is looking into whether a guardrail is needed along part of Sam Newell Road.
Chaundhary is determined to find a small amount of hope.
“She meant everything to me,” Chaundary said. “She would like it that I'm doing something to help prevent the loss of another life.”
Lyla was killed in a car crash nearly two weeks from the day along a stretch of road where residents complained of a dangerous curve.
“Big beautiful blue eyes,” Chaundary said. “She looked like an angel and now she is.”
Salvatore Pecorella, a family friend, collected more than 2,000 signatures petitioning the state DOT for the guardrail.
The agency said they are investigating.
“But there's no precautionary measures. There's no preventative measures. There's no signs, no guardrails, there's nothing,” Pecorella said. “I also feel a little guilty myself being a resident of the road (and) having not spoken up sooner.”
The DOT said it will be gathering information about the area where the crash occurred and will make a recommendation about whether the guardrail is needed some time in the coming months.
“I want to try to focus all my anger, my sadness into something that will help people,” Chaundary said. “Even just one person, it’s worth it.
Lyla was in the car with her grandfather when it went off the road inside the curve on Sam Newell Road.
“I feel like a guardrail would prevent injuries from cars rolling over and going down this embankment,” Pecorella said.
One neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified, said there was a previous petition for a guardrail, but it didn’t go anywhere.
Steve Abbott, with the NCDOT, said in the coming months officials will look at the crash report, the volume of cars in the area and other accidents at the crash scene and will make a recommendation.
Margaret Marie who lives near the crash scene said that’s encouraging. Marie said the tragic crash broke neighbors’ hearts.
“I have 10 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren. So you don’t want nothing to happen to them, you know. It’s just kind of sad,” Marie said.
Pecorella wants to turn the Chaundhary family’s sadness into action.
“I think for him, it’s going to be the best way to bring closure, to know that something positive came out of this,” Pecorella said.
Pecorella said that he and Ali Chaundhary plan to speak in front of Matthews Town Council and try to get a barrier to keep others safe.
Lyla’s cousin, 7-year-old Riley Bruckner, was also in the car and seriously injured in the crash.
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