An 11-year-old girl, Amira Aminova, was struck and killed by a school bus in Brooklyn while walking near her home. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon. The NYPD confirmed that the bus driver, 62-year-old Wawa Aurelus, was arrested today and faces charges of leaving the scene and failing to yield to a pedestrian, according to Gothamist.
PIX11 reported additional details, including witness accounts. The incident occurred around 3 p.m. at the intersection of 23rd Avenue and Bath Avenue in Bath Beach, where Aurelus was driving. Prior to the crash, Aminova was seen buying chocolate and soda from a nearby deli; a deli worker described her as “a good customer, quiet.” Surveillance footage showed Aminova attempting to cross in front of the bus but being struck, resulting in her death.
Authorities transported the girl to Maimonides Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The NYPD reported that Aurelus, who lives in East Flatbush, did not remain at the scene after the collision. No attorney information is currently available for Aurelus, who is scheduled to appear in Brooklyn Criminal Court.
Residents of Bath Beach are mourning the loss of the young girl. A neighborhood resident, Lou Iljaz, told PIX11, “She just took off. It was like if you see a train coming and you try to run to beat the train, it was just like that.” While the crash appears to have been accidental, the charge of failing to yield to a pedestrian highlights the importance of following traffic laws, particularly for drivers of large vehicles such as school buses.
