MARION COUNTY, Fla. – No charges will be filed against a driver who struck and killed a 10-year-old boy walking to his bus stop last year in Marion County, the Florida Highway Patrol announced this week.
Ja’Siah Williams, 10, was walking to the bus stop with his mother when he was hit by a car in November 2021. The FHP said the boy was walking on the edge of the road while his mother was walking on the grass at the time of the crash.
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Troopers said the 34-year-old driver swerved to try and avoid a collision but ended up hitting the 10-year-old. The driver stopped to help and cooperated with the investigation, officials said.
The FHP said there were “no violations of Florida statutes” found to charge the driver.
County officials looked into the area where the crash happened, off Highway 318, to see if there were any changes that can be made to prevent another incident.
“We had staff go out following that tragic incident and look at the scene to see if there were any immediate needs, anything that is apparently out of order at that general area,” said Tracy Straub, assistant county administrator for the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.
Preliminary findings, however, showed there was nothing immediately apparent that could done, she said.