Family Of Girl Nearly Hit By Semi Speaks Out
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The young girl nearly hit by a semi truck that illegally passed a school bus late last week said she's still shaken up from the incident.
Sixth grader Alexis Schwartz said she's trying to keep her mind off last Friday's incident.
"The semi came out of nowhere, almost like, just scared the heck out of me," she said.
The incident happened on Highway 23 near New London and Paynesville when Schwartz's bus had stopped to pick her up. The bus driver turned the flashing lights on and put the stop arm in position when the semi truck drove at a high speed between the bus and the shoulder.
"Just seeing something happen up close like that makes my heart go crazy and scared me," she said.
Schwartz said the truck nearly drove over her feet and once she got on the bus, she started crying.
Mike Egerman was driving Schwartz's bus.
"There was a few seconds I just thought she was gone. I would have bet she was dead. Then all of a sudden, there she was," Egerman said. "She just went back to her seat and sat down. All she said was, 'Wow, that was close.'"
Schwartz's mother, Tracy Adams, said she was in tears the first time she saw the video from the bus' dash cam of the incident.
"I was just so emotional, because I was scared," she said.
She said she's thankful no one was injured.
"Just thank God, there was someone watching out for her from above," she said.
Late Tuesday, the semi truck driver turned himself into authorities, after authorities released a YouTube video of the dash cam and asked the public to help identify the driver.
Lt. Eric Roeske of the Minnesota State Patrol said at this point, they don't know if charges will be filed. He said the driver called the State Patrol and admitted to the incident.
Schwartz's grandfather, Norman Gibbs, who worked as a truck driver, said the driver clearly knew what was going on.
"He knows what he was doing, just wasn't paying attention as far as I was concerned," he said. "When I heard it, you know, I mean, you don't think much of it. But when you see the video it's like wow, she was, you know, that close to being dead."
The driver's name is not being released until the Kandiyohi County attorney makes a decision on possible charges. If the driver is charged, it could mean up to $3,000 in fines and up to a year in prison.