The school bus driver that fatally struck a 3-year-old boy who was playing in the street on a ride-on toy in Cary has been cited, police announced.
The Cary Police Department and Cary Fire Protection District responded around 3:39 p.m. on May 16 to the area of Cherry Street and Hill Street in Cary.
Cary Deputy Police Chief Scott Naydenoff said that officers responded to a 911 call for a crash involving a child and a school bus.
Emergency personnel arrived on the scene and confirmed a young child, identified as Samuel Huddleston, 3, of Cary, had been struck by a school bus, Naydenoff and the coroner’s office said.
Huddleston was pronounced deceased at the scene.
There was one student on the school bus in addition to the driver at the time of the incident.
Neither the student on the bus nor the driver were injured during the collision, Naydenoff said.
Police announced Monday afternoon that the driver, Koleen Janquart, 60, of Crystal Lake, was cited for failure to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
The two offenses are considered petty offenses, which means there are no jail or prison sentences.
The investigation included analyzing physical evidence, statements and technical analysis of data.
“The Cary Police Department’s investigation into this incident is considered closed,” Naydenoff said in the update.
An autopsy performed in May by Dr. Kristin Escobar with the McHenry County Coroner’s Office showed that the boy died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries.
The Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT), which consists of members from the Cary, Harvard, Johnsburg, McHenry, Spring Grove, and Woodstock police departments, was activated to assist with the crash investigation.
Naydenoff said that the boy was riding on a “ride-on toy” in the street when he was hit.
Police said at the time that the bus driver was cooperating with them in the investigation.
An obituary for Huddleston said that he was “precious” and a “little light of sunshine.”
“He had the biggest smile but also the best grumpy face. With four older brothers and a younger sister, he could run and chase the big boys but take time to snuggle with his sister. Although the youngest brother, he was always helping and watching out for them often keeping them out of trouble,” the obituary said.
“He was an outside kid. Sam loved fishing, camping, and Big Foot hunting in the woods. Playing at the park and taking walks with his favorite neighbors were highlights of his day. His cowboy boots were his prized possession, was a big fan of Davey Crocket, Daniel Boone, and Jim Bowie,” his obituary read.