(La Porte, IN) -  An investigation into the death of a La Porte High School student, who died on Friday after striking the side of a school bus on his scooter, has been completed. 

 

The investigation reveals 15-year-old Julien Hernandez was riding a scooter eastbound on a sidewalk in La Porte after 4 p.m. on Friday.  The school bus, carrying 13 students, was also headed eastbound and passed Hernandez before stopping at a stop sign at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and South Avenue.

 

According the police report, the bus was in the process of turning right at the intersection when Hernandez drove into the passenger side door of the bus.  Police indicated the bus then stopped and pulled forward a short distance before the driver called for help on her radio. 

 

The victim was found lying unresponsive behind the bus and was pronounced dead at the hospital about 30 minutes later. According to the La Porte County Coroner’s Office, the cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma to the head.

 

Investigators reviewed footage from a video camera on the bus and concluded Hernandez was traveling at a high rate of speed on the scooter during heavy rain. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood worn over his head.

 

Police stated Hernadez did not make an attempt to slow down or look for oncoming traffic before entering the roadway and colliding with the bottom right window on the passenger side door of the bus.

 

La Porte Police Chief, Paul Brettin, said he preferred to let the findings of the investigation speak for themselves instead of placing blame on either party.

 

“I’m just calling it a horrible freak accident. A few seconds each way, it would have never happened,” he said.

 

Brettin also revealed no charges will be pursued against the school bus driver. 

 

“She did what she was supposed to do.  There was nothing she did that would be criminal in nature or negligent,” he said.

 

The results of a blood test showed the driver had no alcohol in her system.

 

Brettin was unsure how fast the scooter was moving, but said Hernandez was traveling on a flat surface.  He said the scooter was able to be maneuvered with a handlebar and powered by standing with one foot on the platform and pushing against the traveled surface with the other foot.

 

“I call it a skateboard with a steering mechanism,” he said.