Car hits 16-year-old Polk County student who was walking to school bus, deputies say

Driver said he didn’t see victim

No description found

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A man said his foggy windshield prevented him from seeing a 16-year-old girl before he hit her with his car as she was trying to board her school bus Thursday morning, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the school bus was stopped with its lights activated on Avenue G NW at about 6:20 a.m. as students were boarding.

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Records show a group of students, including a 16-year-old girl, was crossing the street to get on the bus when she was hit by a Scion, causing her head to hit the windshield before she was propelled and hit the ground.

No other students were hit or injured.

The driver, an 18-year-old man, stopped to help the teen, according to a news release. The bus driver also immediately reported what happened and went to check on the victim.

Deputies said the area was dark due to inoperable lighting and the driver’s windshield was foggy, so he didn’t see the girl. He was not using his cellphone at the time of the crash.

The victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for a minor brain bleed and other injuries. She’s expected to recover.