Child dies after being hit by truck in Lee County

A nine-year-old Lee County, Mississippi boy is dead after he was hit by a truck while getting on a school bus in front of his house this morning.

Dalen Thomas was crossing the street to get on the stopped school bus when he was hit by a truck. Thomas was flown to Lebonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, where he passed away.

The driver of the truck remained at the scene and has been questioned by authorities. The Mississippi Highway Patrol’s crash response team spent several hours on scene in the Pratts community as part of their investigation.

The driver of the truck, 22-year-old Hunter Newman of Marietta, Mississippi, has been charged with aggravated assault.  MSGT. Ray Hall with Mississippi Highway Patrol said, “With any investigation, especially when there’s a serious injury or death, our troopers are going to do their best, be very thorough with it, make sure we don’t miss any evidence, make sure everything is noted. We want to have a proper case, but most of all proficient and professional investigation with every case.”

The child was a student in the Baldwyn School District.