Van hits child getting on bus in Union Co.

Van hits child getting on bus in Union Co.

The van which struck the child is pictured on the right.
Bus #849 was heading to Union Elementary School.
The driver of the van says there was nothing he could do to avoid hitting the
boy.
Dewayne Thomas was driving the van which struck the boy.
A state trooper speaks with people who witnessed the accident.

UNION COUNTY, NC - A child was critically injured while crossing the road to
get onto his school bus in Union County early Friday morning.

The accident occurred around 7 a.m. at 5803 Medlin Road near Quail Run Road
which is south of Monroe.

Luan Ingram, spokeswoman for Union County Public Schools, said the amber lights
on the bus were flashing at the time of the crash, but the stop light arm on the
bus was not deployed when the 7-year-old boy ran across the road.

The bus was heading to Union Elementary School and several students were on the
bus at the time.

Dewayne Thomas was driving the van which struck the first grader. Thomas was
heading in the opposite lane in which the bus was in. He said there was nothing
he could to avoid hitting the boy.

According to the highway patrol, the boy was thrown about 78 feet after making
impact with the van.

The boy suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to the Levine's
Children's Hospital in Charlotte.

As of 1 p.m., the highway patrol said the child was alive and on life support.

Back at the school, additional counselors were made available for students.
Ingram said the counselors spoke individually to each student who was on the bus
as well as their parents about what happened.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.

Reporter Trent Faris will have more details about this story on WBTV News 3 at
Noon and 5 p.m.