ljrs, where did you hear that?  The news last night said witnesses told the police that she had swerved trying to avoid the children.  I’m not sure any of us are getting everything there is to know about this tragic story.  If she was guilty they should have arrested her but if there was no evidence, who’s to know what all really happened?  Julie was a very pretty little girl and it is so sad that she had to end her life this way.  My prayers go out to her brother and to her family.

I’m very curious as to why that woman was not arrested on the scene?! especially after refusing a drug test. and from what i heard on the radio, she didnt even know she had hit the children, there were no signs of her slowing down even after impact. She murdered a six year old girl and put her 9 year old brother in critical condition, refused a drug screening and was sent back off to her home in Vernon?! That is absurd, appalling and insulting to those children and their family. I hope she is brought to justice, and I hope the city pays for their decision.

Kudos to WMBB’s news team for NOT showing the yellow tarp.  Or the shoe.

Sorry Athena, I meant to direct my comment to xinerevelle.

To Athena: Who are you trying to protect?  It happened in “PCB” whether in city limits or not and all local authorities should take note.  Maybe it’s an extreme request to expect protection at every bus stop as they are randomly changed as people move.  But maybe the communities can get together and make this a priority for finding a solution.  It seems like this issue would be more important than a new county building.  Sounds like there’s a lot of people (and kids) who do a lot of walking and biking in this area and there’s just not enough consideration given to that.

Even though it is only a block away from my house, I drive my children to the busstop every day.  They sit quietly in the van and we wait until the bus comes to a full stop with the door open before they go anywhere near the road.  I will continue to do this until they are old enough to drive themselves.  Overprotective? Maybe, but my Autistic son has no clue about the dangers of traffic, even less than a normal child.  My heart goes out to the family of those little children.

Pssst. Hey Oldman… This is in Bay County, not PCB. So direct your venom in the right direction.

My prayers go out to this family as they do to the Tindell family everyday that I pass the spot where Missy was killed. Yes, we must be ever vigilant as drivers, but the Bay School District Transportation department must also be aware that these bus stops on the main roads are not safe. I understand that gas costs and time are major factors in having the stops lined up along main roads, but nothing is more valuable than the life of a child. I am aware that even the bus drivers are made nervous by the location of these types of stops. The busses need to be re-routed into the residential areas so kids can wait at safer locations.

Before you start hammering me, I wasn’t referring to the poor driver when I mentioned drunks, I was referring to the riff-raff the beaches will spend thousands of dollars on to get them here at the neglect of the things that should have been done, okay?  I still hope that the mayor and her cohorts never have another night of sleep that this doesn’t haunt them to insanity.

To the Beach Leaders and Mayor:  You spend thousands and thousands of dollars every year bring these drunks into your domain.  Why can’t you spend some of that money on sidewalks and bus stops?  Look at the picture that’s with this article…not one sidewalk but just a dirt strip!  Now a child pays for your stupidity and greediness.  The all-mighty dollar, right?  I hope you never sleep another night without thinking of what you have done.

miketindell, that is the one thing that is missing now that Cedar Grove is gone.  You did not DARE fly through the school zone there.  They’d make you curse the day you got behind the wheel of a car if you did and they meant it.  How many innocent lives have to be cut short before we get some real enforcement of the speeding laws in Bay County?  Even on John Pitts road where a child was run down because she tried to save a kitten is no better now.  I’ve had people blow my doors off on that road even though it is posted 45 mph.  Come on, people, think about what time of day it is when you get behind the wheel and realize that children do not always do as you think they will.  Small ones especially act on impulse and you never know what they may do. The driver may have been under the speed limit, we’ll never know, but being very vigilant around children must be ever present in our minds. My heart goes out to both of the families involved here and I pray they will find peace.

This occured just down from our family business and one of our employees saw it happen. The mother was walking with the children to the bus stop and the kids ran ahead of her (typical behavior)... and they ran into traffic. How horrific for the mother to watch it happen and be helpless and how equally awful for the driver that was powerless to avoid it. The bus was not at the stop yet (about 1/2 mile away), so the driver wouldn’t have been required to stop. It also isn’t a school zone through that area. This is just an awful, awful accident that happened. My prayers are with both families today.

I have three grandchildren and can not imagine the pain these families are going through with the loss and/or injury of a child.  My thoughts and prayers are with all involved.

Our prayers go out to the families of everyone involved. We hope that you have family and friends to get you through this time. This just shows how much more attention needs to be brought to the school bus stops in Bay county. We have the school bus stop campaign that happened as a result of my niece Melissa Tindell being hit and killed at a school bus stop. We have not stopped this campaign and we will not stop until we can make it safer at all school bus stops and school bus zones. We are asking all drivers to slow down at school bus stops and school zones. My office is on Harrison Ave in front of Bay High School and every day I go outside for lunch and watch drivers speed through the school zones and children are almost killed everyday. Slow down people. Your life is not that more important than a childs life. You have the steering wheel not the child. Mike Tindell