Girl injured after being hit by school bus

Thursday, January 18, 2007

(1/18/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- A 16-year-old girl was hit by an Aldine school bus in northeast Harris County.

It happened on Brea Crest Street near Aldine Westfield around 6:30am.

The student lives about five to six miles away from where the accident happened. She was trying to catch the bus to head to MacArthur Ninth Grade School. But unfortunately the student never made it to the bus stop. One eyewitness said it was too late to alert the girl.

"I told my wife to call an ambulance, a girl just got hit by the bus,' said eyewitness Henry Overfield.

Overfield says he saw the accident coming, but not in time to stop it.

"The girl came across and I'd seen the bus was still rolling," said Overfield. "I told my daughter's boyfriend -- I said 'that bus is going to hit her'. "

Overfield says the right front portion of the bus hit the 16-year-old. He says she was wearing dark clothes and that is why the bus driver claimed she didn't see her.

"Some of the kids got off and I told them to not let her move," he said. "She wasn't talking but she was looking around. She was like she was in a daze."

The victim was identified as Claudia Mata. Her sister, Maria Mata, says that their mother tried to help her daughter by elevating her head with her backpack.

"My mom put her it (backpack) under her head, like to help stop the bleeding. But she kept bleeding," she said.

Claudia could be released from the hospital later today. She suffered a concussion.

The school's principal is at the hospital with the student and her family.

The driver has an eight-year record with the district with a minor fender bender on her record. She was given a drug test. Those results are expected within a week. She's off her route until at least Monday. She wasn't cited in the accident.

Authorities said the accident happened in an area that does not have a marked bus stop, or crossing and is not at an intersection.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

Get more News »