One year after 17-year-old Olivia Pugh was struck and killed on Ben King Road, traffic safety measures have been implemented at the Lights of Joy holiday display in Kennesaw, where she was attending with friends before the incident.
What’s Happening: The display’s organizers have introduced several safety improvements this year:
• Off-duty police officers are directing traffic nightly, with additional officers on busier evenings.
• Visitors will now park at park at Futures Church, where 120 spaces are available, and follow a marked and illuminated pedestrian path to the display.
• Signs, cones, and flashing warnings have been installed on Ben King Road to alert drivers of pedestrian activity near the display.
Cobb County officials say the display does not require a special event permit this year but that safety and parking plans are being monitored in coordination with the city of Kennesaw.
⚖️ Catch Up Quick:
• Pugh was struck by a vehicle on Dec. 8, 2023, while crossing Ben King Road at an unlit crosswalk after visiting the display.
• The 69-year-old driver pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and DUI. His trial began last month and continues in Cobb Superior Court.
• At the time of the crash, Pugh and her friends had parked at Big Shanty Intermediate School, a location no longer recommended for visitors.
💡 What’s Changed: Entry to the display costs $5 per person, with parking available at Futures Church for $5. Children 12 and under are admitted free.
🎄 Details on the Display: The Lights of Joy event, which began in 1988, features over one million LED lights and runs every evening through Dec. 29 at 1510 Ben King Road in Kennesaw. For more information, visit www.lightsofjoy.net.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
