A tragedy unfolded in Porter Township, Van Buren County, where a 10-year-old boy was fatally struck by an SUV on Thursday morning, authorities have reported. According to ClickOnDetroit, the incident occurred just after 8 a.m. as the child was crossing the street to check his family's mailbox. Despite immediate medical assistance provided by arriving deputies and EMS personnel, the boy succumbed to his injuries later in the day.
Witnesses and authorities report that the accident took place while a Mattawan Consolidated Schools bus was nearing a stop to pick up another student. The boy, near a school bus stop, was struck by the southbound white SUV driven by a 38-year-old woman who afterward called 911, as stated by the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office. After cresting a hill, the school bus driver watched as the SUV pulled to the side after hitting the child, and subsequently also called 911, according to an interview with Undersheriff Casey Davis obtained by WOODTV.
The investigation is still underway as the Van Buren County Accident Reconstruction Unit looks into what happened. Reporting by MLive has confirmed that every angle of the crash is being scrutinized, such as possible mobile phone use or any other illegal activities that might have contributed to the incident.
In the wake of this heartbreaking event, Mattawan Consolidated School District's Superintendent Randy Fleenor expressed deep condolences to the family and stated that a crisis team had been assembled to offer ongoing support to students and staff, with additional counseling and support services available. "We extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to one of our own Wildcat families during this unimaginable and heartbreaking time," Fleenor wrote. The district is now focused on supporting children and staff who were present on the bus at the time of the crash and assisting the investigation in any way possible, as reported by WOODTV.
