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SEARCHPolice say the 9-year-old runs alongside her bus as it drives away, and then she runs into the road and is hit by a pickup truck.
Authorities said a 9-year-old student in Salem, Oregon, ran alongside her bus as it drove away, and then she ran into the road and was hit by a white pickup truck. Photo courtesy Marion County Sheriff's Office
SALEM, Ore. — A second grader was injured when she was struck by a truck near her school bus stop here on Tuesday, authorities said.
Deputies responded to the scene at about 4 p.m. According to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, the 9-year-old girl had exited the bus at her stop and then started to run alongside the bus as it was driving away.
“As the bus passed her, she immediately turned and ran into the roadway, where she was struck by an oncoming white Dodge pickup driven by 20-year-old Salem resident Lisa Dela Cruz,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
The school bus driver stopped and assisted deputies when they arrived on scene. The girl, an elementary student in Salem-Keizer Public Schools, reportedly suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and was taken by ambulance to a hospital for further evaluation.
According to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, Cruz told deputies that the brakes were failing on the truck and needed to be replaced. She was cited for driving outside her license restrictions and for unsafe vehicle operation.
The Sheriff’s Office said that no further information was currently available on the incident, but the press release included a related safety message.
“As school draws to an end and summer begins, today’s crash is a reminder to always be aware of our surroundings and drive vigilant,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “Small children can be unpredictable, so please use caution while driving our Marion County roadways.”
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