Girl's Death Spurs Push for Safer Bus Stop

Anusha Vasudeva, a student at Ligon Middle School, was hit by a minivan while crossing Morrisville-Carpenter Road to catch her bus Monday morning. She died a day later at Duke University Hospital.

Police said she didn't look both ways before crossing the street, and the minivan driver wasn't charged.

But residents in the nearby Ridgemony subdivision say the bus stop is dangerous, and they want it moved.

"It's a tragic event that took place," said Amir Malik, who is among a group of parents planning to collect signatures on a petition Saturday to ask the Wake County school system to move the bus stop to a side street in the subdivision.

"The goal objective is to apply pressure on Wake County's (school) transportation department to reconsider the placement of bus stops," Malik said.

Area parents submitted a similar petition five years ago but were denied when school district administrators deemed the bus stop was safe.

The district is reviewing concerns about the stop and others in the Morrisville area, but specific policies must be followed, spokesman Michael Evans said.

"Obviously, safety is a factor," Evans said. "If they want to sign a petition and give more credence, that's fine. It will get reviewed according to the process. If they're not happy with the process, if we can accommodate them, then I'm sure we will try."