Police Identify Olympic High School Student Hit And Killed By Vehicle
The Latest:
Police have released the name of the 15-year-old Olympic High School student who was hit and killed after being struck by a vehicle.
The girl has been identified as Zoe Alana Deen. Officials say she was trying to catch a school bus when the accident happened. Police say they do not believe speed was factor. They also said there are no street lights on the road and Deen was not wearing reflective clothing at the time of the accident.
No charges have been filed at this time.
Original Story:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Officials say the pedestrian hit and killed Tuesday morning in southwest Charlotte was an Olympic High School student.
Investigators say the student was hit by a vehicle on Youngblood Road at Buckthorne Ridge Lane just after 6:30am.
Officers say the preliminary investigation determined that Kevin Signer was driving his 2017 Nissan Murano east on Youngblood Road towards Capps Road. The teen was crossing Youngblood Road towards Buckthrone Ridge Lane and got struck in the roadway, according to police.
The girl was reportedly crossing the street to board the bus. Police say the road does not have any overhead street lights and the student was not wearing any clothing that was reflective. This section of road also does not have crosswalks or pedestrian signals.
Police do not believe speed is a factor in the crash. Detectives say they are investigating the bus pickup location and working with CMS police. No charges have been filed at this time.
CMS says counseling support is available to students at the school. They released the following statement:
Across the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district and throughout the community, our hearts are heavy and we extend our deepest sympathies to family, friends, loved ones and staff affected after the tragic loss of one of our students following an accident early this morning.
Counseling and grief support for the family and for the school community have been and will remain available. Families and parents are asked to maintain a careful watch of students and to reach out to any CMS staff member for emotional and mental health support.
Student and staff safety are always a top priority for the district. CMS and CMPD are cooperatively investigating events from this morning in order to gain clear understanding of this incident and to inform a review of bus stop and transportation safety procedures. The district asks families, parents, students and all staff to exercise caution and to keep safety top of mind when awaiting transportation to school and back home, as well as while traveling, during each school day.
Our students embody our community’s hopes for the future and we join together today and in the coming weeks to offer comfort, support and sympathy during this difficult time.
No other details have been released at this time. Check back for updates.
