ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — The South Carolina Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate a fatal accident involving a 6-year-old boy and a pickup truck.
Zion Toland was trying to cross Highway 178 shortly after 7 a.m. to board his school bus when he was fatally hit by the pickup truck, Fox Carolina reports. Toland’s 11-year-old brother, Fred, was also crossing the street, but he was not injured.
"The child [Zion], he was crossing the street, the bus was making a U-turn, but the bus had no lights activated," Lance Cpl. Judd Jones told the news outlet. Troopers said the bus also did not have its stop arm extended at the time of the incident.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol's fatality list includes information on Wednesday’s accident, noting the time of death of a 6-year-old male in Orangeburg County on Highway 178 as 7:09 a.m.
After the incident, Toland’s brother reportedly wrote him a note apologizing to the boy for not holding his hand while crossing the street to reach the bus.
A representative with Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five, where Toland attended Dover Elementary School, released a statement on Wednesday saying that the status of the investigation remains open, and no findings have been released to the district at this time.
“A crisis response team consisting of school psychologists, counselors and pastors responded to the school today to provide support and assistance to students, teachers, and parents as they experience the emotions of grief and loss. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the parents and family,” the statement said.
The driver of the pickup truck was not injured, and Judd Jones of the Highway Patrol told The Times and Democrat that no charges have been filed against the driver as the investigation continues.
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