ROCKVILLE, Md. — Two almost unthinkable tragedies in Montgomery County have left the community shaken.
Friday morning, a high school senior was hit and critically injured in a crosswalk in Rockville while trying to get to his school bus. On Thursday afternoon, a 9-year-old was hit and killed by her own school bus driver in Bethesda after getting off the bus on her way home.
"I have a 17-year-old myself who catches the bus one stop up," Amy Ritualo, who lives near the Rockville crash site at Montrose Road and Bargate Court, said. "It's really concerning and very emotional."
Police said the Walter Johnson High School senior was walking in the cross walk, while his school bus was stopped with its red lights on, and stop signs extended. A woman in a black Jeep plowed into the teenager, authorities said, leaving him with injuries so severe he may not survive.
Behind the school bus was a RideOn bus, whose cameras were rolling and captured the whole scene.
"When they have the red lights on and the stop signs out, you've got to stop," Capt. Tom Jordan of the Montgomery County Police said.
Police identified the Jeep driver as Reine Ngoumou Nee Nganzeu, 61, of Rockville. She remained on the scene. Police said they will likely complete their investigation before filing any charges.
Just a few miles away in Bethesda, Christina Mage left a little stuffed kitty at a small memorial for a 9-year-old who didn't survive.
"I live in the area and I just felt like I needed to come by and [say a prayer,]" Mage said. "And lets hope it doesn't happen anymore."
Police said the Bradley Hills Elementary School student was struck and killed Thursday afternoon by her own school bus driver. According to authorities, 53-year-old Serigne Makhtar Ndiaye was turning right on Millwood Road after dropping off the girl.
Police and neighbors are still trying to figure out how it could have happened.
"It's just devastating and really hard to explain to my kids," Shannon Forchheimer, who has 15-year-old twin boys and lives right next to the bus stop, said. "It's crazy, just a tragedy."
State and county leaders were walking Old Georgetown Road Friday morning, trying to figure out ways to make it safe. The walk was in response to the death of another teen, 17-year-old Jake Cassell, who was killed on that very road four months ago, after falling off his bike. A 13-year-old girl was nearly killed one month ago just a few blocks away while riding her bike.
"This is an epidemic," Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass said. "We need an all-hands-on-deck approach from the state to the county and all of our municipalities."
Glass said the county has a 41-point plan to reduce pedestrian deaths to zero. But he said despite budgeting money two years ago, the county has yet to hire a coordinator to implement the plan.
