Monroe, NC : Mother fatally struck by SUV after children board school bus in Union County on Thursday morning, October 27, 2016
A mother was fatally struck in Union County Thursday morning after making sure her child got on the school bus.
Troopers said 46-year-old Hanna Gosney was hit on Stateline Road near Old Pageland Marshville Road while attempting to communicate with the bus driver.
"There was a child that was on the bus that wouldn't sit down and was standing, so the bus driver had stopped to deal with that situation. The bus was stopped in the roadway with no lights activated at the time," said Michael Whitley, with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Whitley said the driver had moved an estimated 5-10 feet before having to stop because two kids were fighting over seat assignments. Troopers said Gosney saw what was going on across the road, and yelled over at the bus driver, who opened the side window to speak with Gosney.
"The bus driver made a comment to her, at that time the pedestrian that was struck had entered the highway, and was struck by the Kia that was traveling towards the state line," Whitley said.
According to troopers, the driver of the Kia won't face any charges. Investigators said the vehicle didn't pass the bus illegally, and that speed was not a factor.
The crash happened when it was dark outside, and the victim was wearing dark colored clothing, troopers said.
Gosney leaves behind five children and six grandchildren.
"How do you say goodbye to somebody?" asked Lynda Harmon, Gosney's twin sister, as she hugged other family members at the crash scene Thursday.
The sisters just celebrated their 46th birthday last month.
"That was my life, I mean, she did everything for us at home," Harmon continued. "She's a wonderful mother, a wonderful sister, she kept us together."
Now, family members are trying not to fall apart. They held one another just feet from where Gosney died.
"I didn't want to believe it, and I didn't believe it until I got here and see her laying there," said Gosney's daughter, Jessica Rice.
Gosney's family said she would make sure her son and a grandchild got on the bus every day.
"She does it every day to come put her son on the bus, because she wants to make sure he gets on a bus because my dad's at work every morning," Rice said.
Gosney's family is trying to understand what happened, leaning on one another and their faith for answers.
"My pastor's coming to see us later and we'll just be together for right now. It's hard to comprehend right now, I don't want to believe it," Harmon said.
WBTV called Union County Public Schools to see if the driver should have waited to see if the children were seated before turning off the flashing lights, or leaving.
A UCPS spokesperson said the district is doing its own independent investigation.
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Mother fatally struck by SUV after children board school bus in Union County