POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — A student here died on Friday morning after he was run over by his school bus.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that at about 7:09 a.m., Zjequalin Cody, 10, tripped while he was apparently running alongside the bus and trying to get the bus driver’s attention. He then fell and was caught underneath the wheels, Sgt. Clark Parrott told the newspaper. (A statement released by the Poplar Bluff School District, obtained by KFVS, noted that according to the Highway Patrol, the driver did not know the student was running near the bus.)

Parrott also said that a motorist in a pickup truck behind the bus called 911 at around 7:09 a.m., KFVS reports. Cody was taken to the hospital, where he died right before 7:44 a.m. There were other students aboard the bus at the time of the incident, according to the news source.

Cody was new to the school and reportedly didn’t know the bus schedule, the Highway Patrol told KFVS.

The school district’s statement also said that the Highway Patrol’s major crash team was performing a mechanical inspection with the district’s full cooperation, and that a crisis center was established to help students, parents, and staff.

About the author
Nicole Schlosser

Nicole Schlosser

Former Executive Editor

Nicole was an editor and writer for School Bus Fleet. She previously worked as an editor and writer for Metro Magazine, School Bus Fleet's sister publication.

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