LUMBERTON — A school crossing guard was severely injured on Thursday when he was hit by a vehicle that failed to stop in front of Knuckles Elementary School.

At about 7:46 a.m. Thursday Leonard James Walker, 62 of Lumberton, was struck on Martin Luther King Drive in front of the school. According to information from the Lumberton Police Department, The crossing guard was flown from the scene to a nearby hospital for treatment of his injuries. As of late Thursday, Walker was in the critical care unit, but was expected to recover.

According to a statement from the Lumberton Police Department and the Criminal Investigative Division, the suspect vehicle initially left the scene after the incident, but the driver later returned and reported to officers that she was driving the car when it struck the crossing guard.

Oneisha Blackmon, 28, of Red Springs was driving a 2013 Lincoln MKS with one other adult passenger in the vehicle, according to a prepared statement from Lumberton Police and the Criminal Investigative Division.

Oneisha Blackmon will be charged in connection with the incident with Felony Hit and Run, Operating a Vehicle with No Operators License, Speeding in a School Zone, Reckless Driving and Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid Accident, according to Lumberton Police and the Criminal Investigative Division.

Police stated that based on the initial investigation, it appears there were no children on the road when the crossing guard was struck, and there have been no reports made to the Lumberton Police Department of any children who were injured.

Anyone who may have witnessed — or has information about this incident — is asked to call the Lumberton Police Department and speak with Corporal Cedrique Bridges at 910-671-3845.