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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. \u2014 A night out in Tuscaloosa\u2019s Temerson Square nearly turned tragic after a drunk driver lost control, hit a stop sign, and narrowly missed several pedestrians. Now, city leaders say it may be time to make the popular entertainment district car-free.<\/p>\n
Police say 22-year-old Jordan Driver made a wide turn from 4th Street onto 23rd Avenue late Saturday night, jumped the curb near Copper Top, and hit a stop sign. Surveillance footage shows three people jumping out of the way \u2014 and one person narrowly missed \u2014 before the car sped off and struck a parked vehicle. The driver was later arrested for DUI, resisting arrest, and reckless driving.<\/p>\n
Tuscaloosa City Council President Kip Tyner said the incident highlights growing safety concerns downtown.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt shouldn’t be allowed to drive there at night,\u201d Tyner said. \u201cIt\u2019s dark, it\u2019s full of drunks, and bad things are gonna happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Workers in the area say near-misses are common.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople aren\u2019t safe driving on these roads,\u201d said UA student Anna Scott Harbin, who works at Avenue Pub. \u201cThey don\u2019t look out for pedestrians or crosswalks ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
This latest crash adds to a growing list of violent or dangerous incidents in Tuscaloosa\u2019s entertainment districts in recent years:<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s crash, Tyner said, may finally be the \u201cwake-up call\u201d that forces change.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at any Saturday night down there, it\u2019s frightening what can happen,\u201d he said. \u201cWe really need to think about making that area pedestrian-only.\u201d<\/p>\n