As the 2025 year commences, students were hit — and one was killed — while walking to their bus stops in Florida communities.
On Jan. 10, a teenager later identified as Maslin Mooney was a victim of a hit and run while walking to his bus stop, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook. The Sheriff’s office stated that Mooney was discovered by a passerby at approximately 6:45 a.m. Lifesaving efforts were immediately initiated, and he was transported to a trauma center by air ambulance.
The Sheriff’s Office added that the preliminary investigation revealed Mooney was walking to his bus stop — the scheduled pick up was at 6:08 a.m. — but never made it to the location. As of Jan. 12, the Sheriff’s Office stated investigators identified and interviewed the suspect and seized the vehicle.
First Baptist Church of Hastings stated via its Facebook page, that Mooney was on the ground unconscious until a citizen discovered him and called first responders. His injuries included two broken legs, the right tibia and left femur, that required surgery, a broken right wrist, extensive dental damage, and a brain bleed. He is expected to remain in the hospital for four to six weeks with a recovery window of four to six months.
As of Jan. 16, the church posted Facebook update that Mooney was making remarkable progress and is improving by “leaps and bounds.” He has since moved out of the ICU and was scheduled to be transferred to a rehabilitation facility.
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Meanwhile, about 32 miles North in Jacksonville, Florida, an Atlantic Coast High School student died on Jan. 17, after being struck by a vehicle while trying to get her school bus stop. A GoFundMe page created for the family of Alondra Martinez, 16, said the girl was crossing the street toward her school bus stop when a speeding car struck her. The motorist who hit Martinez reportedly stopped and took her to a nearby medical facility, then stayed there and called the police.
Martinez reportedly died in the hospital from her injuries.
No information had been posted on the Duval County Public Schools website or the Sheriff’s Office regarding the incident. However, local media reported that it was unknown if Martinez was walking in a marked crosswalk.
Jacksonville.com reported that the night before Martinez was killed, First Coast News spoke with Superintendent Christopher Bernier about a new safety campaign, “Be safe, be seen,” which was launched due to the number of motorists hitting students as they made their way to and from school.
“We’ve had three fatalities this year with young people being hit to and from school,” Bernier stated via the article.
Earlier this week in Tampa, Florida, an 11-year-old died after being hit by a car while getting off a school bus. A local news article states the girl had just exited the school bus and was walking alongside the road when she was hit. The unidentified student was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries and died Tuesday night.
