9-Year-Old Hit By School Bus In Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A 9-year-old child is hospitalized Friday after he was hit by a school bus on Thursday evening in Lakewood, police said Friday.

The incident was reported about 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said.

The boy had gotten off the school bus near Pawnee Road and Iroquois Place and as he started to cross the street in front of the bus, was hit by the school bus, Staffordsmith said.

The driver of the 2020 model year school bus, a 41-year-old man, did not realize he hit the child and left the scene, Staffordsmith said. As soon as he was told what happened, he returned and is cooperating with authorities, Staffordsmith said.

The boy was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and was treated for injuries to his lower back and a laceration to his head, the captain said.

"Thankfully, he is stable and expected to make a full recovery," Staffordsmith said.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office is assisting with the investigation, Staffordsmith said.