Hudson Judas was the final student off the school bus last Friday and was crossing the street in a crosswalk near Royal Roads University when a passing vehicle struck him.
His mom, Kristina Judas, said the 11-year-old Sooke School District student was hit by the vehicle’s mirror and spun around, suffering a concussion and bruising.
“The car basically sideswiped him,” she said. “He must have hit his head — he blacked out for a little bit and woke up on the side of the vehicle.”
That was upsetting enough, but she’s especially irked by what happened next.
Judas said the bus driver called to Hudson to see if he was OK, but she has been told he didn’t get off the bus and instructed her son to “run home as fast as you can.”
She also said he didn’t record the incident.
“I’m assuming they just went their own ways,” she said of the two drivers.
West Shore RCMP responded to a report about the incident at 3:10 p.m. The vehicle, a late-model, four-door SUV, was passing the school bus on the left on University Drive when Hudson was hit, police said.
The school district said in a statement that it is looking into what took place.
“We are aware of an incident that occurred on Friday afternoon when a Sooke School District bus was discharging children at a scheduled stop with lights flashing and their stop sign out,” the statement said. “This matter is now under RCMP investigation and we are co-operating with their investigation.”
An internal review of of transportation safety protocols and processes will also be carried out, just as it is after “any incident or accident,” the statement said.
Drivers are not allowed to pass a school bus when its flashing lights and stop sign are engaged, as Hudson said they were in this case. The fine is $368 for a first offence, $668 for a second and $1,000 for a third.
The lights and sign indicate that school buses are receiving or discharging students, the statement said.
“Vehicles must stop before reaching the bus and not proceed until the bus resumes motion, or the driver of the bus signals to other drivers that it is safe to proceed by turning off their flashing lights and recalling the stop sign.”
Some buses in the district have exterior red-light cameras to record nearby vehicles, but the one involved in this case doesn’t, Judas said.
There is only a description of the car and no licence plate number for tracking the offending vehicle down, she said.
Once Hudson was home, Judas said, she called the school district’s transportation department and was told by the person on the line there was no record yet of what had happened.
Judas said she was told the video on the bus would be reviewed.
She said the West Shore RCMP and security from Royal Roads University have done a good job following up. She said the other driver stopped and offered Hudson a seat in the car, but he didn’t get in because the person was a stranger.
The SUV driver left before they or an ambulance were called, police said.
Police are looking for the SUV and driver, who is described as white, 55 to 60 years old and five-foot-six with a stocky build. He has short grey hair and glasses.
Any witnesses or people who were in the area with dashcam are asked to call West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264.
