KISSIMMEE, Fla.,None — A 10-year-old boy is dead and his 12-year-old brother is in critical condition after a Lynx bus ran them over in a pedestrian crosswalk Thursday night.
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Florida Highway Patrol investigators say that at approximately 7:00pm two brothers, 10-year-old Mathew Robinson and 12-year-old Mark Robinson were crossing Columbia Avenue at Dyer Blvd. ( see map ) in Kissimmee when they were struck by a Lynx bus. Mathew died at the scene. Mark was rushed to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando.
Investigators said the two boys had just bought sodas at a convenience store and were crossing the street as the bus was making a left turn onto Columbia Avenue.
"They were crossing the road and were in the crosswalk and the bus inadvertently ran over them," said Stacie Miller of the Kissimmee Police Department.
Eyewitnesses said the bus driver did not notice he had struck the victims, who had the green light in the crosswalk.
"The bus driver didn't stop and went all over them," said eyewitness George Torres.
When Matthew and Mark were crossing, it was dark and raining. Passengers on the bus said the driver didn't realize he had hit the boys and stopped when they started screaming at the him.
"There was a guy on the other side of the Lynx bus and a guy on the phone trying to move him," said eyewitness Agnus Santiago.
Mathew was crushed by the huge tires and died at the scene. The family says Mark was able to grab onto the bike rack in front of the bus and was dragged, but holding on saved his life.
The intersection was blocked off as police investigated.
Eyewitnesses were disturbed that police left the boy's body underneath the bus. Investigators said they did so to preserve the evidence.
A Lynx spokesman offered condolences to the family.
"On behalf of the Lynx family, our heartfelt sympathies go out to the family at this time. And we are working with the Kissimmee Police Department to figure out exactly what happened here," said Matt Friedman.
The driver has been with Lynx for seven years and has a clean record.
A Lynx spokesperson told WFTV a toxicology report shows their driver did not have alcohol in his system. Lynx buses makes the same left-hand turn 113 times a day and there's never been a problem.
The identity of the the bus driver has not been released.
Rick Santiago, 13, told WFTV he and his cousins Matthew and Mark were inseparable.
"We used to hang out and play Guitar Hero a lot," Santiago said.
The brothers' family is trying to understand how the bus driver didn't see them.
"He could've avoided it, but he didn't," he said."We lost him and we're never getting him back. And that could happen to anyone."
So far, the driver of the Lynx bus has not been cited, but has been put on administrative leave until the investigation is over.
Mark is recovering at Arnold Palmer Hospital. He is alert, but he suffered an injury to his spine and hasn't been able to walk.
WFTV
