CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 15-year-old student was struck and killed by a car last week as she was crossing the street to try to catch her school bus, police said.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department identified the student as Zoe Alana Deen, who attended high school in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district. The incident occurred on the morning of March 27, with police responding at 6:04 a.m.

According to a police press release, a preliminary investigation found that Deen was crossing a roadway to board a bus when she was struck by a 2017 Nissan Murano. When medical personnel arrived, they pronounced Deen deceased as a result of injuries sustained from the crash. The driver of the Murano, who stayed at the scene, was not injured.

While the incident is still under investigation, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department pointed out several factors related to darkness and visibility.

“The roadway does not have any overhead street lights and the pedestrian was not wearing any clothing that was reflective,” the police press release said. “This section of the roadway had no crosswalks or pedestrians signals.”

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department also noted that speed did not appear to be a contributing factor in the crash. Detectives are investigating the school bus pickup location and are working with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ police department.

Meanwhile, a parent whose son was on the bus told WSOC that her son said Deen had apparently missed the bus and was running to catch it at the next stop. That has not been confirmed by police and school district officials, WSOC noted.

About the author
Thomas McMahon

Thomas McMahon

Executive Editor

Thomas had covered the pupil transportation industry with School Bus Fleet since 2002. When he's not writing articles about yellow buses, he enjoys running long distances and making a joyful noise with his guitar.

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