Daniel James, a 16-year-old Utah County Academy of Sciences (UCAS) student, was struck by a woman driving a Dodge truck Monday, Sept. 13 between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m.
The truck proceeded to roll over James’ legs before stopping, according to witnesses.
Mr. Howard, Assistant Principal at UCAS, said, “Last year or the year before, there were a couple of students struck while in a crosswalk.”
This raises concern over a consistent problem with pedestrian/driver responsibilities.
According to UCAS student Kenny Prestwich, “[This] happens basically every year.”
James was attended to and eventually transported by paramedics for further medical attention.
Police declined to comment while the investigation was still ongoing. The woman, whose name was kept confidential, appeared to be in her sixties.
According to two friends who were with him, James was crossing College Drive in a designated crosswalk at the time of the collision. Steven Palica and Merka Burr, also UCAS students, were walking behind and in front of James, respectively. Burr rushed ahead and Palica leaped back to avoid the truck.
Caught in the middle, James was unable to get out of the way.
“It was terrible,” Burr said. “The truck came, and [James’] body arched over the front of it. He flipped over and [the truck] ran over both of his legs.”
Palica heard the woman say she was “blinded by the sun.” On clear mornings, the rising sun shines directly toward the eyes of east-bound drivers on College Drive.
“When the truck came, me and Steve both looked at it and thought it was going to slow down,” Burr said. “It didn’t. By then, it was too late. Steven jumped back, I ran forward and it hit Daniel straight on.”
Another bystander called 911, with paramedics arriving at the scene in about three minutes, Burr said.
At one point six paramedics were seeing to James, whose lower body was lying on its side, his upper body face up. James was responsive to questions issued by the paramedics, however.
When lifted onto the stretcher, James was visibly shaking from the neck down.
“We couldn’t freaking believe it,” Burr said. “It ran over him, and he was all on the [street] and still conscious. It was terrible.”
