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Harrowing details emerge of moment a bus ploughed into boy, 14, killing him in front of parents and classmates during pick-up rush at elite school – as the driver is charged with multiple offences
- Medical crews were called to Macarthur Anglican School
- Boy, 14, was rushed to hospital but could not be revived
- Bus driver, 54, is being taken for mandatory testing
Terrified students have claimed they watched their bus driver suffer a ‘medical episode’ before he veered off the road, smashing through a steel bollard on the footpath and running over and killing a fellow student.
Police have since charged her with a dangerous driving occasioning death, driving in a dangerous manner and negligent driving occasioning death.
The packed ‘bus zone’ area of Macarthur Anglican School in south-west Sydney – where children were waiting to go home at the end of the school day – was thrown into chaos after the tragic crash on Wednesday afternoon.
Some shell-shocked parents and teachers at the elite private school attended to the injured boy while others had to force open the bus’s emergency exits to get to the children inside.
Three ambulances and a helicopter rushed to the scene at Cobbitty about 3pm and administered CPR to the 14-year-old boy before transporting him by road to Liverpool Hospital in critical condition, however he died a short time later.
A photo from the scene shows the driver slumped over in the seat of the mangled bus, with a staff member attending to her.
A staff member appears to attend to the bus driver after the crash. The side of the bus is heavily damaged
Three ambulances and an air ambulance rushed to the scene and performed CPR on the boy
‘The bus driver, a 54-year-old woman, has been taken for mandatory testing and is assisting police with their inquiries,’ police said in a statement.
Superintendent Paul Fuller from Camden Police said they were in the process of speaking with witnesses.
‘Obviously it was at school pick up so there was a lot of students and a lot of parents in the area,’ he said.
One student who was on the bus told 7News the driver appeared to have some kind of medical episode before leaving the road.
Parents of other students on the bus also said they witnessed the driver having health troubles before the losing control.
The exclusive school charges up to $21,000 a year in student fees, making it one of the most expensive in the Macarthur area.
Principal of the K-12 co-educational private school, David Nockles, had already written to the school community by Wednesday evening to express his anguish.
‘The incident required considerable police and ambulance presence, including a helicopter,’ Mr Nockles wrote.
‘Many students, parents and staff witnessed the accident so I would encourage you to speak with your children and if needed provide support for them.
A teenager was hit by a bus after it left the road during school pickup at a southwest Sydney school (pictured)
Pictures show the bus appears to have crossed a footpath and hit a tree at Macarthur Anglican School in south-west Sydney (pictured)
An air ambulance landed on the school’s playing field to rush the boy to hospital (pictured)
The school is one of the most expensive in the MacArthur region
A heavy police presence remained at the school late on Wednesday afternoon
‘Tomorrow morning we will hold age-appropriate assemblies where we can begin debriefing the students and provide pastoral care support.
‘Your prayers are very much appreciated at this time of distress in our community.’
An investigation into the circumstances has been launched by officers from Camden Police Area Command and the Crash Investigation Unit.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police.
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