EdwardKnoxII 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2003 http://www.indystar.com/articles/4/093688-...8-2244-092.html Perry Meridian student dies in freak accident Police say 16-year-old boy killed when he stuck his head out the window and was clipped by a tree as school bus traveled eastbound on Stop 11 Road. By Terry Horne [email protected] November 17, 2003 In a gruesome accident, a Perry Meridian High School freshman was killed this morning while riding to school when he stuck his head outside a bus window and was clipped by a tree, authorities said. The accident occurred about 7:15 a.m. on Stop 11 Road, just west of Bluff Road. Perry Township Schools spokesman Karen Cantou identified the student as Raul Gonzalez, 16, 1700 block of Sonesta Way. Gonazalez’s mother, Erma Garcia, was too distraught to talk. School officials said she and her husband, Arnold Garcia, had moved from Texas to Indianapolis about two or three weeks ago. Friends gathered this afternoon at the couple’s home in a relatively new subdivision off Banta Road. According to Cantou and Marion County Sheriff's Lt. Phil Burton, the accident occurred as the bus was heading east on Stop 11, approaching a hill just before Bluff Road. About 20 students were on the bus, and Gonzalez had just gotten on some time before, Cantou said. School officials identified the driver as Terri Gregory, 46. Cantou said Gregory was taken to a Methodist clinic after the accident to have her blood drawn, as a routine measure. The results will not be available until Tuesday, Cantou said. A breathalyzer test performed at the scene showed no trace of alcohol, she said. Burton said the sheriff’s department would investigate the accident, and State Police would inspect the bus. However, the bus driver did not appear to be doing anything wrong, according to preliminary indications, Burton said. Shortly before the accident, some girls on the bus noticed a racoon’s body ahead in the road and told Gregory not to hit it. Burton said the driver slowed the bus long enough to determine that the raccoon was dead, and then proceeded on. Cantou said Gregory told school officials she had come almost to a stop. She started to back up. “Then, shortly after, she heard a thump.” The student’s head struck a secondary trunk of a tree beside the road. The trunk, several inches in diameter, leaned into the road, crossing into the air above the pavement about eight or nine feet above the road. The trunk showed numerous old scars where its bark had been scraped away on the side facing the road, both at the base and eight or nine feet high. Department of Public Works spokesman Paul Whitmore said the mayor’s action center recorded a citizen’s complaint on Oct. 15 about a low hanging branch. It took some time to locate the branch, but on Oct. 16 a public works employee marked the tree with green paint and asked the city's Parks and Recreaction forestry department, which maintains trees in the city right-of-ways, to inspect the tree. A forestry inspector marked the tree with orange paint on Nov. 5. The following day, a branch or limb was removed and on Nov. 7 work orders were written to remove the tree and its stump, Whitmore said. The work order was assigned a “high-priority” level – an intermediate level usually requiring two to three months for action. In contrast, a tree marked as an “emergency” would have been removed the same day; a tree designated as “urgent” would have been removed within a week, Whitmore said. Neighbors report that several cars have struck the tree in recent years. Burton said the driver didn't notice anything until she heard students screaming and yelling. Cantou said one student managed to pull Gonzalez back into the bus. She said the driver then radioed, "I have a serious injured student on the bus. I need to pull over." Cantou said the driver continued driving several hundred yards until she found a safe place to pull over, near Forward Pass Road. Burton said Gonzalez was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The youth probably died very quickly, he said. Two assistant principals and two school social workers came to the scene to talk to the other students. Some students appeared to be crying; others appeared stunned. They were transferred to a second bus and the social workers rode with them to school, Cantou said. "The social workers will remain with these students as they are needed," Cantou said. Meanwhile, Perry Township Schools Superintendent, another school official and a Marion County Sheriff's chaplain went to Gonzalez' home to break the news to the family. Burton said investigators did not know why Gonzalez stuck his head out the window. There was no indication of horse play. Cantou said Perry Township students are continually taught not to put their hands or heads outside the windows. However, she did not know the practice of Gonzalez' prior school district. She said many of the students were not familiar with Gonzalez because he was a new student. There were no other injuries reported, and no other vehicles were involved, officials said. It's real sad taht this happen and I hate to say this but, is anybody else just waiting for when the folks sue the school, the bus driver, the school bus makers, etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey_Lazarus 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2003 I'm waiting for it. And I'm also waiting for when the courts say "there are signs on the bus that say you can't stick anything out the windows, and the drivers continue to say this, so it was his own fault." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2003 I want pictures Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zetterberg is God 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2003 I want pictures Just wait. Rotten.com or some other site like it will have them eventually. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2003 Well, nevermind, I read the article closer the second time, I thought the kid got decapped (which I would want to see the pictures), but I guess he just hit his head real hard/snapped his neck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest HungryJack Report post Posted November 19, 2003 Whatta fuckin maroon. Honestly. Who pulls shit like that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ravenbomb 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2003 Whatta fuckin maroon. Honestly. Who pulls shit like that? You just answered your own question, there, Jimmy-Jimmy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cerebus Report post Posted November 19, 2003 Now THIS is news! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2003 OMG we need seatbelts for the CHILDREN now. Damn, I NEVER had a school bus driver that drove at decapitating speeds. At least not on the ride home, unless I was unsuccessfully macking on some chick... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1234-5678 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2003 As much as I would like to make a joke, the driver's job is to keep his eyes on the road. It's the kid's fault for not knowing better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anakin Flair 0 Report post Posted November 20, 2003 I'd sue the city for not removing the tree earlier. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nl5xsk1 0 Report post Posted November 20, 2003 I'd sue the city for not removing the tree earlier. I used to work for a tree department, if we had to immediately act on every "remove this dangerous tree" request, we would have barely had time to drink coffee or slushies, and wouldn't have had time to nap or read the papers at all. Jeez, you can't blame the town - those hard working fellas work up to 3-4 hours a day!?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
notJames 0 Report post Posted November 20, 2003 Sad news and all, but unfortunately the gene pool needs a brisk skimming now and again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted November 20, 2003 That deserves a Darwin Award nomination. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
notJames 0 Report post Posted November 20, 2003 Nah... not enough delicious irony. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted November 20, 2003 Maybe not, but lots of acting too stupid to live. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey_Lazarus 0 Report post Posted November 21, 2003 I wish he got decapped... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted November 21, 2003 I wish he got decapped... If you're gonna go, go all the way Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
