Crime & Safety

Raquel Nelson Case Called One of 10 Worst Transportation Failures

The Marietta mom's conviction in her son's jaywalking death comes in second on a national list for 2011.

"The tragic case of Raquel Nelson" is the second-worst transportation failure of 2011, according to a list compiled by an online magazine, The Atlantic Cities.

Nelson's caseβ€”a of three misdemeanors in the jaywalking death of her son in April 2010β€”comes behind only Florida's refusal to take federal money for high-speed rail on the transit-leaning list, compiled by Eric Jaffe.

Behind the Marietta mother of two surviving daughters are such big-money projects as a bridge closing and a bridge rebuilding, a bus drivers' strike in Detroit, the nonevent that was California's Carmaggedon, and the expiration of a tax break for commuters who take mass transit.

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Jaffe writes that the conviction of Nelson on charges of second-degree vehicular homicide, crossing a street outside a crosswalk and reckless conduct reflected the failure of metro Atlanta's street design.

Her 4-year-old son was killed by a hit-and-run driver while the family tried to cross Austell Road directly from a bus stop to their apartment complex rather than walk a half-mile out of their way to use a crosswalk while lugging packages.

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Nelson, who , is on the vehicular homicide and crosswalk charges. She .


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