SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

School bus strikes, kills New Jersey woman

Leyla Kan was walking through an intersection, and even though she and Esperanza Jaramillo, the driver, had the green light, Jaramillo allegedly did not yield the right of way. Police have issued motor-vehicle summonses to Jaramillo for careless driving, failure to yield to a pedestrian who had the right of way, and driving with a vehicle with badly worn tires.

August 11, 2014
2 min to read


LEONIA, N.J. — The Record reports that Leyla Kan, a Fort Lee woman and café owner, was struck and killed by a school bus while walking through an intersection last week.

Police have issued motor-vehicle summonses for careless driving, failure to yield to a pedestrian who had the right of way, and driving with a vehicle with badly worn tires, to the driver, Esperanza Jaramillo, according to the newspaper.

Leonia Police Chief Thomas Rowe told The Record that Jaramillo, an aide and a special-needs student were on board the small school bus, which was making a left turn when it struck Kan. The pedestrian and the driver had the green light in their favor, Rowe told the newspaper, but the bus driver did not yield the right of way. Kan, apparently unseen by the driver, was hit by the protruding passenger compartment of the minibus behind the door. Witnesses screamed and honked their horns to get the driver’s attention as the bus dragged Kan approximately 71 feet before it stopped.

The Record also reports that Rowe said no criminal charges would be brought; a catalyst for criminal charges would have been cell phone use at the time, but evidence indicated that was not a factor in the accident. Neither the cell phone of the driver nor the victim was found to have been in use at the time, Rowe told the newspaper. He added that the bus, owned by Rainbow Transportation Inc., was removed from the scene and impounded for further investigation into possible equipment violations in addition to the worn tires.

To read the full story, click here.

More Management

A black and white image of a school bus technician checking diagnostics as part of a graphic with text reading "How Do Today's School Bus Manufacturers Measure Up?"
Managementby StaffJune 10, 2026

Drivers and Technicians: Help Benchmark Today's School Bus Manufacturers

If you've spent time behind the wheel or under the hood, we want to hear your perspective on the buses you know best.

Read More →
Thumbnail graphic for a School Bus Fleet video compilation. A yellow electric school bus serves as the background, with speech bubbles containing words such as “Dynamic,” “Green,” “Critical,” “Complex,” “Family,” and “Underfunded.” A red banner reads, “12 Suppliers. 1 Question. Many Answers.” The video explores how industry suppliers describe the current state of the school bus market.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 5, 2026

13 Industry Leaders Describe School Transportation in One Word

What word best describes the school bus industry today? We posed that question to over a dozen manufacturers, resulting in a revealing mix of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Read More →
Leadership update graphic announcing executive appointments at Tyler Technologies. Headshots of Ryan O’Connor, named chief transactions officer, and Franklin Williams, named chief AI officer, appear alongside the Tyler Technologies logo and School Bus Fleet branding.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJune 5, 2026

Tyler Technologies Adds New AI, Transactions Leadership Roles

Two company executives are promoted to newly created C-suite positions to accelerate the company's long-term growth in both artificial intelligence and payments.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An orange and white graphic with Pro-Vision and Convoy Technologies logos, and text reading "Pro-Vision Acquires Convoy Technologies."
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJune 4, 2026

Pro-Vision Acquires Convoy Technologies

The deal aims to broaden customer relationships and adds specialized vehicle video capabilities for commercial fleets.

Read More →
A Durham School Services bus with two people posing in front of it.

Durham School Services Maintenance Teams Earn Missouri Fleet Excellence Awards

Eight of the contractor’s school bus fleets achieved a distinction few maintenance teams earn during the state’s rigorous annual inspection program.

Read More →
Joe Annotti of TRC Companies speaks at ACT Expo. A text overlay reads, “School Buses as Money Makers?” highlighting discussion about electrification, vehicle-to-grid technology, and new revenue opportunities for school bus fleets.
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 3, 2026

How Incentives, AI, and Energy Markets Are Reshaping School Transportation

Sit down with Joe Annotti of TRC Companies to talk district grant funding, utility challenges, AI, and why school buses are evolving from transportation assets into energy assets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A lineup of Beacon Mobility school buses with text reading "Behind the Contracting Shift."
Managementby Elora HaynesJune 3, 2026

Inside the Contracting Shift: What School Transportation Operators Are Seeing Now

School transportation contractors weigh in on recent trends, costs, driver shortages, and the rise of multimodal student transportation.

Read More →
Jeff Weiss of ExoAir Systems stands beside a roof-mounted electric air conditioning unit at ACT Expo. Text overlay reads “ExoAir: Cool Bus. No Idling.”
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 2, 2026

The No-Idling School Bus AC System

Take a peek at ExoAir Systems’ battery-powered cooling solution designed to run for up to 10 hours without the engine on, reducing fuel use and improving comfort for drivers and students.

Read More →
Charlotte Argue of Geotab speaks at ACT Expo, gesturing toward a display of telematics and camera technology. Text overlay reads “Geotab: Data Drives Safety.”
Managementby Amanda HuggettJune 2, 2026

Geotab on Three Major Trends in School Transportation

School bus fleets are becoming more proactive than ever. From AI driver alerts to vehicle-to-grid opportunities, Geotab outlines the biggest technology trends transforming school bus operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic announcing Gatekeeper contract news featuring a yellow school bus driving along a waterfront roadway, with “New Contract Announcements” text and Gatekeeper branding displayed prominently.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseJune 1, 2026

Gatekeeper Lands Major School Bus Deals as Revenue Surges

The video solutions provider announces contracts with Atlanta Public Schools and other fleet operators as it records quarterly revenue growth and expanding subscription business.

Read More →