A 9 year old local boy was hit by a Disney World bus while riding his bike with his friends on the park’s property Thursday. The accident happened in the Fort Wilderness area, which offers visitors the chance to camp and do outdoor activities at the resort. According to Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Montes, the boy was riding with an 11 year old girl, who was not hurt. Both children were wearing helmets.
The children were biking in the same direction as the bus right before the accident. The street had a sidewalk, but no curb, and it appears that the child went to cross the road in front of the bus and was hit by the middle of the vehicle and pulled under the rear right tire.
According to Patrol Sgt. Montes, there is no evidence that the bus driver was impaired or driving recklessly. She does not expect criminal charges but says that investigation are still pending. “We believe it’s a traffic crash with a fatality,” Montes said.
“We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the boy’s family and loved ones for their loss,” Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger said in a statement. ”We are currently providing the necessary resources and care to help with this situation.”
It’s high tourism season for the Disney Parks in Florida with school kids of all ages out on break and summer fast approaching. This is the latest in a string of transportation incidents at Walt Disney World, Florida, in the last few months. There have been two bus to bus crashes in the last year, both causing injuries among passengers but no fatalities. And a 21 year old monorail operator, Austin Wuennenberg, was killed in July after two of the trains crashed.
