Savannah’s Skidaway Road bore witness to one of the city’s saddest stories last spring. On April 9, 2025, Larry Haywood — a local bicyclist known to almost everyone as the “Flag Man” — was struck by a vehicle just after 8:55 p.m. near the corner of Skidaway Road and East 49th Street. Haywood, carrying his trademark American flag and riding his bike through intersections, was beloved by neighbors for helping people cross busy streets safely with a smile and friendly wave.
Emergency crews arrived quickly after the crash. Police found Haywood injured at the scene, treated him there, and rushed him to a hospital. Residents held hope — until news came that he had died from his injuries. That loss hit the community hard. Folks remembered him not just as a familiar face, but as someone who cared deeply about safety and about people.
For more than nine months, investigators with the Savannah Police Department’s Traffic Investigation Unit worked the case. Leads trickled in, and the search for the driver who fled that night stayed active. Savannah’s conversations, social feeds, and neighborhood chats often turned back to Haywood’s gentle service to the city and the wrenching question of who was responsible.
On January 21, 2026, police arrested 38-year-old Byron Reedy in connection with the deadly hit-and-run. Reedy was taken into custody by SPD traffic investigators and now faces a long list of charges tied to the crash. Those include homicide by vehicle, hit-and-run resulting in death, serious injury by motor vehicle, tampering with evidence, operating a vehicle without a tag, no proof of insurance, driving with a suspended license, and failing to yield the right of way to a bicyclist.
Neighbors who knew Haywood describe him as a humble, consistent presence. Years of cycling with an American flag and stopping traffic so kids and adults could cross safely made him a fixture on busy streets. Families, cyclists, and business owners around Skidaway Road still talk about how he brightened days and helped prevent accidents just by being there.
Savannah Police encourage anyone with more information to reach out. Tips can be shared with CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020 or through the Savannah Police Department’s mobile app. Authorities say every bit of information helps bring clarity and closure.
This arrest comes as a relief to many in Savannah — a community still mourning a kindhearted volunteer whose simple daily act touched so many lives. The story of Larry “Flag Man” Haywood resonates because it’s about more than a tragic crash; it’s about a city’s sense of loss and its hope for justice.
