CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has obtained video that will make your heart stop.
The video shows traffic zooming by last Thursday when, out of nowhere, a driver spots a little girl walking alongside Sixes Road, a busy roadway in Cherokee County.
The driver honks his horn then stops to help and prevent anyone from hitting her.
As this is happening, other drivers in the inside lane crash as they slam on their brakes.
Former Channel 2 Action News employee Daniel Andretta was rear-ended in the crash.
“It’s so easy to want to break down, but then I didn’t want to freak out my kid. And so we kinda just giving each other a thumbs up. And she said, ‘What happened?’ Just a little car accident,” Andretta said.
Andretta was more concerned about the toddler on the road.
“You could see the pink raincoat and boots. That’s all I could see,” he said.
The man who ran out of his car to rescue the child did not want to be interviewed, but he did give me permission to use his video.
Channel 2’s Chris Jose called the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said the little girl wandered away from home.
Jose asked, “Where were her parents?”
A sheriff’s captain said the child’s grandmother was working in the yard and lost sight of her.
Five seconds down the driveway and it could’ve turned out so much worse.
The house sits on Sixes Road tucked away on a long driveway.
The Sheriff’s Office said the grandmother has custody of the child and she likely will not be charged for what appears to be an honest mistake.
“Heart sinks for sure. Could you imagine if one of your kids ran out onto the road?” Andretta said.
Deputies called DFCS to investigate further.
Jose tried to get a hold of the grandmother, who was unable to be reached.