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Published: 2012-12-19 10:10:00
Updated: 2012-12-19 15:34:10

Student hit by car while trying to board bus in Fuquay-Varina


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A 17-year-old high school student was hit by a car while trying to board a bus in Fuquay-Varina Wednesday morning, police said. 

Officers responding to a call about 7 a.m. found John Luke Kurucz near the intersection of Judd Parkway and Red Oak Tree Lane.

According to witnesses, Kurucz was hit by a car driven by Blair Rowe Hale as he walked into the road to meet a bus that had activated its orange warning flashers indicating that it was about to stop. 

Kurucz was taken to WakeMed with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Hale was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision. 

No other information about the wreck was released.


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Witnesses say, school bus was already stopped with lights flashing (yellow to red, not sure of the timing it changed over), all the kids started walking towards the bus, and saw a white Jeep coming with the driver on a cell phone, all kids stopped except John Luke Kurucz (pronounced Coo-roots), the driver sped up to beat the yellow light of the school bus without regard to the kids already moving towards the bus. It all happened so fast. John Luke said he remembers looking and not seeing the Jeep.

The driver, Ms. Hale, made several mistakes. This is one more example why the use of mobile devices while driving should be outlawed. Plus there needs to be more public education about school buses and how drivers should deal when approaching one.

Concerned for a hurt person? Sure. In the same instance I also feel for this driver because he is being charged when, a 17-year-old child, whom is almost an adult, walked out into the road when the bus only had yellow lights in front of traffic. If the child did not screw up, he would not have been hit. How could the driver avoided the accident?

ban him from ever driving again

Just slammed on brakes last week when I encountered a slowing bus with flashing "amber" lights. When it finally stopped it was right beside me.

I just sat there until it started up again, just in case a kid came out from behind the bus and crossed in front of me. But it did feel a little silly since if kids had gotten out and crossed the road, they probably would have walked behind my car.

Oh well, the way I see it, better safe than sorry where kids are concerned.

Sorry the young man was injured. For the record, as I have been meeting an approaching school bus with it's yellow/orange/amber lighst flashing I have slowed down preparing to stop just to have the bus drive right past me. So now, if I see the yellow/orange/amber lights flashing I still slow down, prepared to stop if need be, to see where the bus is going to come to a stop. In defense of the driver today, if the bus hadn't stopped, if the red lights weren't flashing, and the young man stepped into the road, I don't think he should be charged, however, I wasn't there, don't know all the facts. Just my opinion.

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