Prison For Uber Driver Who Killed Crossing Guard

MARIETTA, GA — An Uber driver who says he had fallen asleep while driving is headed to prison after pleading guilty to a crash that killed a Cobb County crossing guard working outside a middle school.

Lamont Roosevelt Whitaker, 38, of Lithonia, was sentenced to 15 years, with five to serve in prison. He will not be allowed a driver's license during the whole of his sentence.

Whitaker was sentenced in the death of 64-year-old Edna Mae Umeh, of Austell.

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On Nov. 30, Umeh was directing traffic on Veterans Memorial Highway, in the school zone in front of Lindley Middle School, when an Uber driver struck and killed her. According to police reports, Whitaker was driving his 2016 Ford Focus westbound on Veterans Memorial at Club Drive when he swerved left, into the center turn lane, to avoid slowing traffic. That's where he struck Umeh.

Police say he was driving 45-51 m.p.h. in the 25 m.p.h. school zone. Umeh was pronounced dead at the scene.

Family members and others held a vigil in memory of Umeh and Gov. Nathan Deal ordered flags in Cobb County to be flown at half-staff in her honor.

"She put herself out there in a difficult situation, to protect that neighborhood and those children," Judge Stephen Schuster said. "She gave her life for those children."

While arguing for a strict sentence, prosecutors questioned Whitaker's story that he had fallen asleep — saying he never said that to police investigating the crash

"He even made a point to say he was not sleepy. He said she jumped in front of his car," said senior Assistant District Attorney Patricia Hull. "

Nearly a dozen of Umeh's relatives were in court Monday for the plea and sentencing. Several spoke about the impact of her loss, with a sister saying she was active in her church and "dedicated her life as a servant to children."

Whitaker pleaded guilty to one count of homicide by vehicle. Addressing the court, Whitaker, himself a father of four children, apologized to Umeh's family. He said he was working both as a taxi driver and Uber driver and was exhausted before the crash.

Edna Umeh photo via GoFundMe. Lamont Whitaker photo courtesy Cobb County Police Department.