KEY POINTS:
A group of schoolchildren watched in horror as their friend was caught by a gust of wind and blown into the path of a bus in front of them.
Jennifer Barnes, 12, died in Christchurch Hospital early yesterday as the result of severe head injuries suffered when she
was struck by the bus on Wednesday at a busy city intersection.
She had only just left her school, Casebrook Intermediate, a few hundred metres away, and was on her way home on her bicycle.
Her schoolmates had been standing with her at a traffic island when the tragedy unfolded, and are now being offered counselling by police.
The experienced bus driver, who had been due to go on holiday, has also been left deeply distraught.
"He's got grandchildren the same age and he's very upset about it," said Greg Barnard, operations manager for Christchurch Bus Services.
"The driver basically did not have time to react. There was basically nothing he could do. And I think that makes it worse for him because he keeps thinking of what he could have done."
Casebrook Intermediate issued a statement yesterday saying the school community was in shock over the incident.
"Jennifer was a vibrant, vivacious young woman who made the most of all her opportunities at Casebrook. She was a role model for her peers and will be sadly missed by the entire community."
Police said it appeared Jennifer had been pushing the button, and waiting for a pedestrian crossingsignal, when she and her bicyclewere caught in the strong gust of wind and blown forward into alane of oncoming traffic.
Police had referred the matter to the coroner after their initial investigations failed to find anyone at fault.
"This is obviously a tragedy and terrible for all concerned. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, schoolmates, witnesses and the driver involved," said Detective Sergeant Greg Cottam, of the Christchurch police.
Mr Barnard said a large number of passengers were on the bus when the accident occurred and the schools of children on the bus had been contacted to ensure they got any support they needed. Police are continuing investigations.
Last week, Auckland bus driver Tu Tukino, 45, was sentenced to 40 hours of community work for failing to stop after his bus allegedly knocked down a pedestrian, Rongfa Jiang, on Dominion Rd in April. Mr Jiang later died in hospital.
