School bus driver finds 7-year-old boy dead of hit-and-run at Pennsylvania bus stop
A 7-year-old boy was found dead of a hit-and-run at a Pennsylvania bus stop on Thursday morning, the latest incident in a rash of bus-stop-related fatalities this week.
The victim, whose identity has not been released, was apparently waiting at the bus stop when he was struck and killed by a passing vehicle, Tyrone Area School District Superintendent Cathy Harlow wrote in a Facebook post.
Harlow said the bus driver who arrived to pick the boy up found the second grader's lifeless body, called 911 and remained at the scene until first responders arrived.
The driver and district personnel are cooperating with state police in the ongoing investigation, Harlow said. She added that on-site counseling and additional crisis resources are being provided for students and staff members trying to cope with the tragedy.
"Our school community is truly grieved by this terrible loss," she added. "Please keep the family in in your thoughts and prayers."
Thursday's incident is the latest in a chain of deadly bus stop accidents that have taken place over the past few days.
On Tuesday morning, three Indiana siblings — Alivia Stahl, 9, and Xzavier and Mason Ingle, both 6 — were struck and killed by a pickup truck while trying to board their school bus. Another student, 11-year-old Maverik Lowe, was also struck. He suffered multiple broken bones and was airlifted to a hospital to undergo emergency surgery.
On Wednesday morning, Dalen Thomas, a 9-year-old Mississippi boy, was tragically struck and killed by a pickup truck while crossing a highway to board his school bus.
In both of these incidents, the school bus drivers were reportedly following proper protocol, meaning they had their stop-arms out and red lights flashing.
In all 50 states, it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus, the only exception occurring when a driver is approaching a bus from the opposite direction on a road with at least two lanes going each way.
Specific bus laws and regulations may vary by state, and citizens who wish to learn more may contact a local DMV.
