A 73-year-old woman was struck and killed by a school bus in a Queens neighborhood, according to police.
Police said they received a call about a woman struck at the corner of 107th Avenue and 86th Street in Ozone Park just before 7:30 a.m. The victim, identified as Maria Rodriguez, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver, a 47-year-old woman, stayed at the scene afterward. Police said Friday the driver was arrested and faces charges for failure to yield and failure to exercise due care.
Neighbors who knew the victim said she was walking home after dropping off her three grandchildren at a nearby school. They described the shock and sadness of seeing the deadly incident.
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Neighbor Birmania Rodriguez said the school bus hit Maria Rodriguez when the driver made a left turn on 107th Avenue and 86th Street.
"I’m still shaking because I saw the whole things. It's very sad, very sad," Rodriguez said.
A small number of children around the ages of 10-to 12-years-old were on the bus at the time, a neighbor told NBC New York.
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Rodriguez lived in the Bronx but was staying in Ozone Park with her daughter, who lives just yards from the scene of the accident.
"She would always gather everybody together, I don’t know how we’re going to do it for this Thanksgiving," said Joel Rodriguez, the victim's grandson.
The tragic death comes a few weeks after a beloved school crossing guard was struck and killed by a dump truck, only a few blocks away.
"It's a constant occurrence in this neighborhood. If someone isn't killed, they're severely injured," said Danny Alphonso. "I think the neighborhood needs more stop signs, maybe traffic lights or speed bumps."
An investigation is ongoing.
