An 18-year-old crossing guard died early Tuesday after being struck by a passing motorist on Morgantown Road. Casey Schrock may have been removing signs and equipment from the intersection of Morgantown and Booker roads when the accident occurred at about 7:30 a.m., said Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell.

&uot;I think she was preparing to move all the equipment. … But there’s no way to know for sure at this point,&uot; he said.

Schrock, who lived just blocks away at 116 Booker Road, was standing in the middle of the intersection when she was struck by a Ford Explorer driven by a 17-year-old Adams County resident. She died about an hour later at Natchez Regional Medical Center.

&uot;The glare of the sun with the combination of the ice on the windshield created an observation problem,&uot; Ferrell said, who added that deputies did not believe speed was a factor. Also, Ferrell said the sheriff’s department has received conflicting reports about whether Schrock was wearing an orange vest at the time of the accident.

&uot;She’s hysterical,&uot; he said of the driver. &uot;The family’s distraught – both families.&uot;

Ferrell said Tuesday no charges were filed against the driver, but the sheriff’s department will present the case to the grand jury as matter of procedure.

&uot;I really don’t blame the little girl,&uot; said Kay Warnock, Schrock’s mother. &uot;It’s just a freak accident.&uot;

For Warnock, who is also a school crossing guard, the accident brought ironic pain. Her son, Jason Schrock, died in a go-cart accident near Morgantown School in 1993.

&uot;God picks the most pretty flowers for His bouquet,&uot; she said. &uot;And he’s got two of mine.&uot;

James Warnock described his stepdaughter as &uot;a real outgoing person, (a) little girl that tried to help people She enjoyed law enforcement, and she loved animals and the outdoors.&uot;

Warnock also said Tuesday she would no longer work as a crossing guard. &uot;I’m quitting it; today’s my last day.&uot;

Schrock and Warnock were employed by Adams County to direct traffic around the school during arrival and dismissal each day. Dr. Carl Davis, superintendent of the Natchez-Adams School District, said because most busses arrive at Morgantown between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m., most of the students were in school at the time of the accident.

According to the sheriff’s department, the 911 call was received at 7:32 a.m., and an ambulance and deputies arrived on the scene six to seven minutes later. Schrock arrived at Natchez Regional at 7:55 a.m.

Even so, Davis said the district is offering counseling to students or staff who may have witnessed the accident. &uot;This is an unfortunate situation for the family, the community and the school community,&uot; he said. &uot;Our sympathy goes out to the family.&uot;