Boy, 9, Dies in ‘Horrific’ School Bus Accident

A quiet Brooklyn morning turned into every parent’s worst nightmare when a 9-year-old boy was killed in a devastating school bus accident — and the driver didn’t even realize it at first.

Yoel Jacobowitz was walking to school in Williamsburg on May 1 when tragedy struck. Around 8:15 a.m., a private yeshiva bus turning at a busy intersection hit the young boy as he crossed the street, according to police.

The impact was fatal. First responders rushed to the scene, but Yoel was pronounced dead right there on the street — just steps from where he should have been safe.

What makes the situation even more disturbing is what happened next.

Investigators say the 49-year-old bus driver initially drove away from the scene, unaware of what had just occurred. It wasn’t until someone nearby flagged him down and told him what happened that he returned.

The heartbreaking scene left the tight-knit Williamsburg community in shock. Residents gathered in grief, many struggling to process how something so unthinkable could happen in broad daylight.

“The traffic here is crazy,” one local resident said, pointing to the chaotic intersection where it happened. “There needs to be some guidance and some rules.”

Another neighbor, a mother herself, couldn’t hold back her emotion. “I’m sorry for the mother. I feel very bad,” she said.

City officials say the area may have been a disaster waiting to happen. The intersection — a hectic five-way crossing — was reportedly under construction and lacked clear crosswalks and street markings at the time.

Local leaders now say those missing safety features may have played a role in the deadly accident.

Officials believe Yoel may have been in the driver’s blind spot when he was struck — a chilling detail that only adds to the tragedy.

“This is just a tragedy. I have no words,” one city council member said after visiting the scene. “I’m heartbroken for the family and the entire community.”

Hours later, Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the devastating loss, calling it a painful reminder of the dangers on city streets.

“Children should be safe walking around our city,” he said. “This horrific road death is a reminder that we must use every tool available to make our streets safe.”

Now, grieving neighbors and officials are demanding change — hoping no other family has to endure the same unimaginable loss.

For one Brooklyn family, though, that change comes too late.