6-year-old girl hit by truck while trying to catch school bus, police say

Accident occurred in 4700 block of East Houston St

SAN ANTONIO – A six-year-old girl was hit by a vehicle as she tried to make her way to the school bus early Monday morning, San Antonio police said.

The accident occurred in the 4700 block of East Houston Street on the city's East Side.

Police said the girl wasn't crossing the street in a safe place and that the driver of the truck that hit her ignored the bus' flashing lights.

Officers said her parents were parked in the turn lane when the girl was hit by a box truck as she tried to make her way across two lanes of traffic.

The child is a charter school student at David Walker Elementary, part of the School of Excellence in Education in San Antonio. A district spokeswoman said the girl's last known condition is stable and confirmed that the bus was stopped at its usual location at the time of the incident. However, the district is looking at relocating the bus stop in the area.

The driver that hit the girl did not see her when she tried passing the bus, police said.

"He (the driver) said at the last minute he saw the stop sign deploy from the bus. He applied his brakes but unfortunately he struck the little girl," Matthew Bennett, San Antonio Police Department said.

Texas Transportation Code Sec. 545.066 lists the school bus law. When a school bus is stopped on a non-divided street, such as the area of East Houston where the accident took place, all lanes and direction of traffic must stop when a school bus' red flashing lights are on during loading and unloading. If there is a concrete divider, most often referred to as a median, and those traveling the opposite direction of the bus may proceed.

As of now no one has been charged. Police said the investigation into the accident is ongoing.

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About the Authors:

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.