Part III: DO NOT EVER PASS A STOPPED SCHOOL BUS!! **New Evidence!!!** Cleveland County School Board member Danny Blanton expresses “Thanks” for publishing this warning about School Bus safety and for keeping up with this story!!! Continued reporting by Robert A. Williams

Folks, the continuing news about the 10-year-old Elementary School Child in Cabarrus County that was killed by a car after being let off of a school bus has taken a strange turn indeed as the investigation continues. The following report (underlined in pertinent part) is from WCCB News in Charlotte.

WCCB Article Published October 21, 2021
Elementary Student Struck, Killed By Vehicle After Getting Off Cabarrus County School Bus
October 21, 2021
Brittney Melton
CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — A Cabarrus County elementary school student was struck and killed by a vehicle Wednesday afternoon, according to school district officials.
A Cabarrus County deputy said that a 10-year-old Mount Pleasant Elementary student got off a school bus around 3:30 p.m. on Mt. Pleasant Road North. After the school bus left, the child crossed the road to get mail but when trying to cross the street again, the child stepped out in front of a car. The car then swerved and missed the 10-year-old but the car behind that driver hit the child, a deputy said.
According to Cabarrus County school, the school bus was not involved in the accident, nor was it as the scene when the accident happened.

Something is strange indeed with this tragic story.

When I first saw the report on WBT-3 TV in the 7AM news, the TV account showed video of the accident scene that included a school bus among the stopped vehicles and zoomed in on the accident car. That report indicated the bus was NOT involved with the fatal accident.

Now, it is being reported that the school bus let the child safely off the bus at his home on Wednesday afternoon about 3:30 PM. And the school bus then drove away. Then the child crossed the road to check the family mail box and when he attempted to re-cross the road he stepped out in front of a car. That swerved around the child without touching the child. And a second car, apparently close behind the first car, hit the child inflicting the fatal injuries.

I smell a rat in this updated account.

First, when the school bus stopped, every bit of traffic should have also stopped. In both lanes. When the school bus drove away with a kid still standing on the roadside, by a Mail Box or otherwise, it surely takes a foolish driver, two foolish and careless drivers, to “scratch-off” in such great haste that any driver-that all drivers-should have been alert enough to the danger of the boy darting one way or the other so as to avoid a fatal accident.

Folks, this is a continuing story that bears close attention. Especially for the Investigators as well as the Cabarrus County District Attorney. It just seems to me that this event that killed that child should have easily been avoided.

And, that was my intent on writing this set of articles. My first article was published before this accident in Cabarrus County. It was based on a presentation at the last CCS School Board meeting that showed a Cleveland County School Buses had cameras that could (and did) capture the identity of a vehicle that passed a stopped school bus. I just wanted to reinforce the facts that, not only passing stopped school buses was illegal, but that it is also dangerous for our children.

My second article was written to again alert the public that passing stopped school buses was illegal and dangerous and that accidents do happen. Now, I am just updating this story as new evidence is released. That any child close to the side of the road represents a dangerous situation that any careful and prudent driver should slow down sufficiently to be able to handle any unsafe movement of that child. Or grownup for that matter. Or people on bicycles, etc.

Folks, pedestrians of any age have the legal right of way in North Carolina. You hit a pedestrian and YOU are in a heap of trouble.

Now, on a related note.

School Board member Danny Blanton sent me a personal message on this series of articles. Mr. Blanton thanked me for my first article as well as my reporting on the tragic accident in Cabarrus County. Mr. Blanton also expressed disappointment that no one else on the school board seems to listen to his concerns, but in this case, the “Police” needs to pay attention to traffic offences involving school buses and anything else related to the safety of our children. I have copied Sheriff Alan Norman and SPD Chief Jeff Ledford with these articles and will continue to do so.

I will say right now that I have heard Mr. Danny Blanton, on every occasion applicable, insist to the school board that the safety, welfare and the education of our children are his highest priorities as a School Board member. And teachers too!!!

I will also say that School Board member Danny Blanton is the ONLY school board member that has ever thanked me for writing an article that advocated for the safety of school children and teachers. That should tell you folks something profound about the priorities of the Cleveland County School Board and also for the high-level administrative staff that works for the School Board.

Stay tuned folks for future developments in this puzzling tragedy in Cabarrus County, North Carolina,

PS: I would suggest that every person in Cleveland County communicate with School Board member Danny Blanton and thank him for all that he has done for the children and teachers at Cleveland County Schools. Mr. Blanton’s email address is at the top of the page in the attached CCS School Board Contact Information list. For that matter, you might want to call some of the other school board members and give them a piece of your mind. Tell them that Robert A. Williams sent you.