An eight year old girl who was crossing the road to board a school bus was killed in a hit and run crash with a semi truck this morning.
The incident happened just before 7 a.m. near Joplin, Missouri, according to KOAMTV.
UPDATE: The Missouri State Highway Patrol has confirmed an 8-year-old girl has died after being hit by a semi tractor trailer Thursday morning while waiting for a Joplin R-8 School bus. #fatal #KSN16 https://t.co/G6qGFgTcuE
— KSN Local News (@KSNLocalNews) September 27, 2018
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says that elementary school student Destiny Chambers was crossing the road to board a school bus when she was struck by a tractor trailer driven by 49 year old Illinois-based truck driver Lance Lee. She died from her injuries.
Police say that Lee left the scene heading east after the collision.
Lee was later located by police and arrested on Highway 249. He was tested for alcohol use. There are reportedly pending charges of suspected hit and run against him.
Officials with Soaring Heights Elementary say that there were children on the school bus at the time of the incident and that they will have access to counselors.
The incident is still under investigation. Because the crash occurred outside the Joplin city limits, the Missouri Highway Patrol will spearhead the investigation.