School Bus Kills Four-Year-Old Boy in Borough Park

A school bus on Amrom Altman’s block. Image: Google Street View.

A yeshiva bus hit and killed a four-year-old boy in Borough Park this morning, the Times reports.

According to witnesses, the child, Amrom Altman, was running after his school bus when he slipped on ice. The driver didn’t see Altman and continued to drive as the child fell between the front and rear wheels of the bus. The bus driver was circling the block, rather than waiting in front of Altman’s house, to avoid blocking traffic on the one-way street, the Times reports.

Altman was killed in front of his house, mid-block on 49th Street between 13th and 14th Avenues. After being flagged down by residents who saw the crash, including Altman’s older brother, the driver stopped near the end of the block. The driver passed a Breathalyzer test, and no charges have been filed, according to the Times.

The Times also spoke to neighbors who are blaming the city for Altman’s death:

Neighbors faulted the city for not removing ice and snow. Gill Hoffman, who lives up the block, said a friend had seen the accident. “The child was slipping on the snow under the bus. It’s a shame. We are very embarrassed that we live in such a city,” he said.