Pedestrian Arrie Mae Roberts, 76, Killed in Columbus, GA Crash at Veterans Parkway and 18th Street

A 76-year-old woman died after being struck by a vehicle Sunday night in Columbus, Georgia, according to the Columbus Police Department. Police said the crash happened in the area of Veterans Parkway and 18th Street, along one of the city's primary north-south corridors just north of downtown Columbus. The coroner has identified the pedestrian as Arrie Mae Roberts, 76. Officers with the Columbus Police Department responded to the scene, and the department's Motor Squad division, which handles serious and fatal traffic crashes in the city, is investigating. Authorities have not released details about the driver or vehicle involved, the exact time of the collision, or the circumstances that led to it, and no charges have been announced. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional information may be released as investigators review the scene and speak with any witnesses. Anyone who saw the crash or has information that may help investigators can contact the Columbus Police Department. 

Location and Infrastructure

Veterans Parkway is a multi-lane arterial road connecting downtown Columbus with midtown neighborhoods and commercial areas to the north, carrying heavy traffic throughout the day and evening. The corridor has seen a number of pedestrian deaths over the years. In 2019, a second pedestrian death within two months on Veterans Parkway led police to increase patrols, and officials described the stretch as a growing problem. More recently, a 76-year-old pedestrian died after a crash at the intersection of 14th Street and Veterans Parkway in February 2025, just a few blocks south of 18th Street, and another pedestrian died in January 2026 after being struck on Veterans Parkway near Almond Road. Multiple lanes, signalized intersections spaced several blocks apart, and nighttime visibility are common factors pedestrians and drivers encounter along this route.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Georgia law requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid colliding with pedestrians (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-93) and to yield to pedestrians within crosswalks (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-91), while pedestrians crossing outside a marked or unmarked crosswalk must yield to vehicles (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-92). Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33), under which recovery may be reduced by a party's percentage of fault and barred if that party is found 50 percent or more at fault. In fatal crashes, eligible family members may pursue a wrongful death claim for the full value of the decedent's life (O.C.G.A. § 51-4-2), and the decedent's estate may seek medical and funeral expenses. Georgia is an at-fault insurance state, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may also apply. Wrongful death actions are generally subject to a two-year statute of limitations (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33), which may be tolled in certain circumstances.

Related Resources

• Emergency Services: Dial 911 for emergencies
• Columbus Police Department: columbusga.gov/police
• Muscogee County Coroner's Office: columbusga.gov
• Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital: piedmont.org/locations/piedmont-columbus-regional
• Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety: gohs.ga.gov
• Georgia Department of Transportation – Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety: dot.ga.gov
• NHTSA Pedestrian Safety Information: nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety
• Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program: crimevictimscomp.ga.gov
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (grief and emotional support): Call or text 988
• Georgia Code, Title 40 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic): legis.ga.gov
• Georgia Department of Driver Services: dds.georgia.gov