OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich.–A teenager who was hit by a car at a bus stop in Ottawa County last week is still in the hospital, but is improving and breathing on his own, according to Ottawa County investigators.
The accident happened on April 25th around 7 a.m. off 8th Avenue, north of Arthur Street in Wright Township.
Jovani Viveros Villa, 15, was crossing the road with his younger brother outside of their home to get on a Coopersville Public School Bus when he was hit.
Ottawa County Sheriff’s Deputies say the bus had been traveling southbound on 8th avenue and was stopped when a driver traveling northbound on 8th Avenue went through the flashing red lights of the school bus and hit Viveros. His younger brother called 911 and he was transported to the hospital with critical injuries.
The driver of the car has been identified as 79-year-old Margaret Geffner who was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Investigators do not believe she was on the phone or texting.
According to Michigan driving records, she has a clean driving record with no violations.
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office will be handing the case over to prosecutors sometime this week. At this time, it appears the driver will be facing a ticket for violating the bus stop lights, but the decision will be up to the prosecutor. If the accident turned out to be fatal, investigators were leaning more towards criminal charges.
Viveros is a former Coopersville student who attends New Options High School, an alternative education program with Allendale Public Schools. His siblings still attend school in the Coopersville District, according to school leaders.
Nine students from the district, mostly middle school students, were on the bus when the crash happened.
