LIVINGSTON, TX – A tragedy unfolded on Thursday in Livingston, Texas, when a school student was hit and killed by an 18-wheeler truck driver as he was getting off a school bus. The driver, Gregory Jackson, 41, was charged with criminally negligent homicide on Friday. The teenage victim has been identified as Eduardo Romero Flores, 15.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the incident led to US-59, north of Livingston, being closed for several hours. Officials reported that a school bus had stopped to drop off a student, displaying its stop sign and flashing red lights when the accident occurred.
Jackson is said to have driven his semi-truck into a Toyota that was parked behind the bus before veering off and hitting Flores. The teenager died instantly at the scene. Neither Jackson nor the Toyota driver sustained injuries during the incident.
Reports revealed that Jackson is an employee of Livingston Trucking. The company declined to comment further but confirmed the incident. The company’s record shows seven crashes, with three resulting in injuries, in the past two years.
Local residents expressed their shock and grief, calling for a review of the route’s safety measures. Livingston ISD provided counselors to support grieving students and staff, offering condolences to Flores’ family.
Jackson is currently held at Polk County Jail as investigations continue.