Honk News (Livingston, TX) – A tragic incident unfolded on Thursday as a 15-year-old stepped off the Livingston ISD bus on U.S. Route 59, leading to a fatal collision, as reported by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Authorities reported that the bus had come to a halt when a truck collided with a Toyota that was following the bus, causing the truck to swerve into the driveway as the teenager was getting off the bus.
A young individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, tragically passed away at the location of the incident. The bus’s warning lights were not functioning at the time of the incident.
According to ABC affiliate KTRE, both the truck driver and the Toyota driver emerged unscathed from the collision.
Authorities have taken 41-year-old Gregory Jackson into custody, charging him with criminal negligent homicide, as per records from the Polk County jail. The amount for his bond has been established at $250,000.
Livingston ISD has officially stated that the individual involved was a student enrolled in the district.
“It is sad when our district loses a member of its family,” the district said, per FOX affiliate KRIV. “It is even more tragic when such a young life is taken away from us.”
The district expressed its heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of the victim. Support services are being offered to individuals who require assistance, they noted.
“At times like this, we are reminded how precious life can be and how fragile each life truly is,” the district said.