A central Victorian community is in deep shock after a 15-year-old schoolboy was hit and killed by a truck while walking to school in Bendigo on Friday morning.
The tragedy occurred around 8:30am at one of the city’s busiest intersections, just 250 metres from Girton Grammar School. Police said the teenager was crossing the road when he was struck by the truck. A passerby rushed to perform CPR, but despite desperate efforts by emergency crews, the boy died at the scene.
Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks of Victoria Police said a large number of emergency service members responded immediately. “They worked tirelessly to try and save this poor person, but unfortunately he passed away,” he said.
The truck driver, described as an experienced employee of Bendigo-based company Power’s Country Express, remained at the scene and is assisting police. In a statement, the company expressed deep sorrow, saying the driver is “in shock” and that the incident has left everyone “devastated.”
Girton Grammar principal Dr Emma O’Rielly called it an “unspeakable tragedy.”
“As a principal and as a parent, I am absolutely devastated by what’s occurred,” she said. “We’ve had a young life cut short, and a family changed forever.”
Police are now investigating the circumstances of the crash, including road and traffic conditions at the time.
Local residents and school staff have begun laying flowers near the site in memory of the boy, while grief counsellors have been brought in to support students and teachers. The tragedy has prompted calls for improved pedestrian safety near schools in Bendigo and across regional Victoria.
