Orem High student hit by school bus

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 26, 2004 by Marin Decker Deseret Morning News

OREM -- An Orem High School sophomore is in stable condition at Utah Valley Hospital today after being hit by a school bus Monday morning.

Just before 7:30 a.m., Alyssa Stasinos, 16, was crossing 700 East at 950 North on her way to catch her own bus to school. The driver of a school bus that had just dropped off passengers at nearby Canyon View Junior High, didn't see the girl before turning left onto 700 East from 950 North.

Stasinos suffered serious injuries to her head near the right eye socket and the right side of her body. She was taken by paramedics to Timpanogos Hospital, then transferred to Utah Valley Hospital.

The girl's grandmother, Corinne Stasinos, said she was relieved to hear Alyssa's injuries were not more serious.

"She's not dead, and that is the first thing you think about when somebody says your granddaughter was just hit by a bus," she said. "So thank goodness she's alive and hopefully not as bad off as we had imagined."

Stasinos will likely be held at the hospital for a few more days so doctors can observe her condition, Corrine Stasinos said.

"There may be damage to her arm or shoulder, they're not sure yet, last I heard, but there's pain there," she said. "They wanted to hold her in the hospital for several days for observation in case the brain swells. So far, she's okay that way, but they just wanted to be sure. The eye seems to be responsive so far, so hopefully she hasn't damaged it."

Orem Police Lt. Doug Edwards said he wasn't sure if Monday's rainy conditions contributed to the accident, but that the early hour and overcast sky could have played a part.

"It had been raining pretty hard throughout the day, but I don't know if it was raining right then," Edwards said. "I know it was very dark. She was wearing dark clothing, it was dark, and the bus driver just flat didn't see her. I'm sure that's the case."

Edwards said he was aware of several weather-related accidents in the Salt Lake Valley on Monday.

"I did hear from one of the stations up in Salt Lake that they've had four auto-pedestrian accidents around schools today up there," he said. "It's a bad day."

Orem High Assistant Principal Toby Bullock said he was notified of the accident almost immediately, but didn't plan to make an announcement to the student body.

"We're not going to announce it, because it will be in the paper, and the students will be curious tomorrow, and the counselors will be on standby," he said.

Alpine School District sent a crisis response team to the school after the accident, and those counselors have been working with students who know Stasinos or are concerned.

Edwards said though no one can really prevent accidents like this, parents might do well to remind their kids that it is dark outside now when they are walking to school or bus stops.

"Remind them that cars and buses can't see you as well as you can see them, and to stay out of their way," he said.

E-mail: mdecker@desnews.com