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Mom calls son’s recovery a ‘miracle’ after he was hit by car on Chesterfield road

Posted at 5:14 PM, Apr 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-18 17:48:35-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- The family of a Chesterfield man recovering in the hospital hopes safety improvements will be made to the rural road where he was seriously injured.

Kody Bailey was hit by a Chevrolet Corvette while walking in the 8100 block of Qualla Road the night of March 18. The 23-year-old was rushed to VCU Medical Center for life-threatening injuries.

"Doctors didn’t know if he was going to live for the first two weeks," recalled Bailey's mother, Roxanne Payne. "He nearly broke every bone in his body."

Payne admitted her son was walking in the roadway to a friend's house when he was struck.

Kody Bailey

"If there was a sidewalk he probably wouldn’t have gotten hit," she stated.

Qualla Road is windy and curvy that banks against Pocahontas State Park. Deep ditches meet the pavement on either side of the road.

Chesterfield Police Sgt. J.R. Lamb said he's seen an uptick in pedestrian crashes in the county with 2018 the highest number in recent years.

Lamb noted that there is no lighting on Qualla Road at night and stressed the importance of pedestrian safety.

"Pedestrian crashes are hard and they're hard for everybody. We want the drivers of cars to give some room for pedestrians but unfortunately in the nighttime, if you're wearing dark clothes you only have so much reaction time," Lamb explained. "Pedestrians have the obligation and responsibility to be visible. If you're walking at night you have to wear bright clothing. Use those flashlights on your cell phone and continue to remain vigilant. Walk toward traffic."

Chesterfield Planning Manager Greg Allen said while there are no immediate plans to add sidewalks to Qualla Road the county has made a concerted effort to create biking and walking paths throughout the area.

Payne said her son's recovery is nothing short of a "miracle."

Bailey spoke for the first time just a few days ago.

"I just didn’t want my son to suffer, but he (God) has a plan for him -- Kody is still here," Payne said. "I think he’s in there he just needs to wake up more."

A family friend set up a GoFundMe to help with medical costs. If you'd like to donate, click here.

Chesterfield Police said the Corvette's driver stopped at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle had non-life threatening injuries.

The driver is not facing any charges.

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