Child struck by vehicle waiting for school bus: 'I thought it wasn't real'

Henry Cruz-Orellana was standing on the side of Louisburg Road at Casine Court around 7:30 a.m., according to troopers, when a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old tried to pass the other cars. The driver, identified as Jordan Nobles, ran off the roadway, hit a concrete divider and lost control of the vehicle.

“When I saw the car coming onto the pavement, that’s when I tried to run because I was right on the middle of where the car was aiming so I ran and they hit both my feet and I tumbled over the car,” Cruz-Orellana said.

Police said Cruz-Orellana sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to WakeMed. He suffered a fracture knee and several other bruises and scrapes. He expects to return to school in a few weeks.

With crutches by his side Tuesday night, Cruz-Orellana said nothing about the ordeal felt real when it was happening.

“When I was flipping over, I thought it was a dream. I don’t know how to explain it. I thought it wasn’t real,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Wake County schools said the district is conducting an investigation and looking at location and overall safety of the bus stop where the incident occurred. She said changing the location of the stop would involve routing specials to look into the situation.

“I think this is like a lesson for them to change it,” Cruz-Orellana said.

Nobles was charged with exceeding the posted speed limit and improper passing.