A woman is dead after being hit by a school bus near a Kearns intersection Thursday morning.
The 37-year-old pedestrian, identified as Becky Bell, was hit by the Granite School District bus near the intersection of 5240 West and 5400 South just before 7 a.m., according to Unified Police Detective Ken Hansen.
At the time of the crash, the area was still somewhat dark, Hansen said. Bell, who lives nearby, was crossing 5400 South and was in the inside westbound lane, Hansen said. While there is not a painted crosswalk in the area, intersections are typically considered crosswalks, he added.
“It is a tragic crash,” Hansen said. “We don‘t know if — because of the hour — she didn’t see the bus coming or if the driver didn’t see her crossing.”
Aside from the driver, two special needs students who attend Hartvigsen School were on board, along with their adult aide, said district spokesman Ben Horsley. District officials have been in contact with the families of those students.
Because of “cognitive issues,” Hansen said, police don’t believe the students saw or understand what happened.
Police released the bus driver to the school district, Hansen said, and Horsley said officials are following standard protocol to test for any substances in the driver’s system.
An accident reconstruction team is working to determine whether Bell was in the intersection or west of the intersection at the time she was hit, Hansen said. The speed limit in the area is 45 mph.
In a tweet, the school district expressed condolences for Bell and asked that people keep her family in their thoughts and prayers.
Police said they were in contact with the woman’s family and are providing them with victim advocate support.
Traffic on 5400 South was blocked off temporarily following the crash.
