ST. LOUIS — The family of Janae Edmondson is criticizing the City of St. Louis after the crash that changed their lives. City leaders are also demanding safer streets following Daniel Riley's guilty conviction.
"There has to be change so that there's not another Janae Edmondson having to deal with this her whole life," Janae's mother, Francine Edmondson, said in an exclusive interview with 5 On Your Side after the verdict was decided.
This week, a jury found Daniel Riley guilty in the crash that caused Janae Edmondson to lose her legs last year in downtown St. Louis.
"This city is designed for cars to go fast with no regard for traffic laws or signs which has been proven by Janae's accident," said James Edmondson, Janae's father.
Now 18 years old, Janae and her family frustrated by the continued incidents involving reckless driving. In Riley's case, a jury recommended he serve 19 years in prison.
The Tennessee teen told Christine Byers that she's glad he was found guilty, "But at the end of the day, he has legs," Janae said. "I don't."
"He doesn't have to go through what I have to go through just to get back to even walking," Janae continued, wiping away tears.
Janae's accident happened on Feb. 18, 2023. However, two women were killed last month when they were hit by a car while walking near Enterprise Center after a Drake concert.
"(Janae's) case was the tip of the iceberg that started the chain reaction," James said.
"What a courageous young woman," St. Louis Ward 9 Alderman Michael Browning told 5 On Your Side Saturday. "To sit up there and just tell us her story and really be a catalyst for change in our city."
Alderman Browning is co-sponsoring the Complete Streets Bill, pushing for updated and more extensive safety practices with road engineering focused on people walking or biking.
It's a similar mission to advocates with Trailnet.
"To get to the point where neighborhood safety, street safety, sidewalk safety, is the most important thing that our city can do to keep people safe," Trailnet policy catalyst Charles Bryson said.
"This isn't the first story like this," Browning said. "I do hope it will be one of the last because this is the type of thing that can mobilize our entire city to finally making a policy change that puts people first and makes sure that injuries like her never happen again."
Browning said his Complete Streets Bill is already in committee for the city's Public Infrastructure and Utility team. The team will meet again in St. Louis City Hall on March 25 to discuss the bill again.
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