LOCAL NEWS

School bus hits and kills 15-year-old girl

Jan 27, 2023, 2:38 PM | Updated: 7:25 pm

SANDY, Utah — A school bus, with students on board, hit and killed a pedestrian near State Street and 8400 South Friday.

The pedestrian was identified as 15-year-old Jennifer Flores Diaz, a 10th-grade student at Jordan High School.

Moffitt said the school bus — which was carrying 16 students from Hillcrest High School — was turning left to head northbound on State Street, from Princeton Avenue, which is 8375 South. The bus came to a halt on State Street, just past the crosswalk.

“It’s difficult for everybody that’s involved: from the bus driver to the students on the bus, all the family of the pedestrian, as well as all the first responders on scene,” Moffitt said. “This is difficult when it involves children.”

The sergeant said it’s unclear whether Diaz was in the crosswalk, and it’s unclear which traffic signals may have been showing. A crash reconstruction team, made up of officers from various agencies around the Salt Lake Valley, is working to piece together those details.

The bus driver was cooperating with the investigation.

Jeff Haney with Canyon School District confirmed no students on the bus were injured in the crash.

Jordan High School Principal Bruce Eschler sent out the following letter to the school community:

“Earlier today, we were shocked and saddened to learn that one of our tenth-grade students, Jennifer Flores Diaz, was involved in a fatal auto-pedestrian accident.

Our deepest condolences go out to the student’s parents and family and to Jordan High teachers, staff and students who are struggling with pain and loss.

As a school community, we want parents, students, and staff to know that we will have counseling personnel and bereavement support resources on hand Friday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the counseling office and Monday morning when school resumes after the weekend. A student death can generate strong feelings of anxiety and distress as students process the tragic news and struggle to cope with their grief. If you feel your student needs to speak to a guidance counselor, teacher, or adult, please contact the Jordan High Administration, or drop by our Main Office on Monday.

This is a difficult time for all of us. We want to express our appreciation for the support you have shown our school community as we’ve faced a time of intense difficulty.

Traumatic events can be difficult and, like adults, adolescents express emotions by grieving. Yet adolescents may not demonstrate grief in the same manner. The following information is provided for parents and others who may find themselves in a position of guiding an adolescent through the grieving process. Students also have access to licensed counselors at the University of Utah’s Neuropsychiatric Institute via the mobile app, SafeUT.”

District superintendent, Rick Robins, also released a statement:

The loss of any child — at any time — is heartbreaking for a community. Today, the entire Canyons District community mourns the tragic passing of one of our beautiful and cherished students who died in an auto-pedestrian accident involving a school bus. Canyons District sends our heartfelt condolences to the family of the student, as well as the student’s friends, teachers, and school staff who will struggle with the pain and loss of a loved one. As Superintendent, I want our community to know that counseling services will be provided to students, faculty, and staff who are struggling with difficult emotions following the incident.  A student death certainly can prompt feelings of anxiety or distress as peers try to cope with grief.  We ask parents to talk with their children about their emotions and reach out to the school or the District Office if they need additional help to support their student. This is a difficult time for all of us, and we express our appreciation for the support that has already been shown to our school community.

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

[File] Utah Highway Patrol State Trooper car (Laura Seitz, Deseret News)...

Larry D. Curtis

Child struck, critically injured by tractor near Coalville

A tractor hit a 5-year-old boy who darted into the road, critically injuring the child.

11 months ago

(FILE) Police vehicles are parked outside the South Jordan Police Department on Friday, April 24, 2...

Michael Houck

Police: Three teens hospitalized after crashing into wall in South Jordan

Three teenagers were injured after crashing into a concrete wall Tuesday morning, police say.

11 months ago

Elephants Zuri and Christie will be transferred from Utah's Hogle Zoo to another accredited facilti...

Josh Ellis

Elephants leaving Utah’s Hogle Zoo after more than 100 years of care

Utah's Hogle Zoo elephants Christie and Zuri will be transferred to another accredited zoo, ending the zoo's continuous care of elephants after more than 100 years.

11 months ago

The town of Hideout wants to annex hundreds of acres from Summit County and Wasatch County, includi...

Michael Houck

Landowners in-between Hideout and Kamas file for township

A group of Summit County landowners filed to incorporate as a new town called West Hills Tuesday.

11 months ago

(Chopper 5)...

Debbie Worthen

Residents meet with Draper leaders to find out what’s next for neighborhood after landslide

Dozens of Suncrest residents met with Draper city leaders for a town hall-style meeting two weeks after the ground below two homes collapsed and sent them sliding down the mountainside.

11 months ago

Flooding temporarily closed state Route 39 in Ogden Canyon Tuesday morning. (Utah Department of Pub...

Josh Ellis

Utah roads, parks close due to flooding and high runoff levels

Several roads were closed due to flooding Tuesday morning, and warm temperatures will keep rivers and creeks running high throughout the day.

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

Stack of old laptops with dark background...

PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...

BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.

Close up of an offset printing machine during production...

Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.

vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...

Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.

Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...

Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.

notebook with password notes highlighted...

PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.

School bus hits and kills 15-year-old girl