Teen with dreams of being a nurse hit and killed walking to school, Virginia family says
A high school student was killed by a car while walking to school in Virginia, her family says.
Lesly Diaz-Bonilla was on her way to Justice High School in Fairfax County when she was struck and killed in a crosswalk, her dad told WUSA. The teen had just turned 17 last week.
“My wife and I are destroyed,” he told WUSA through a translator. “There are no words that will help us.”
Fairfax County police said the incident occurred just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16 when Diaz-Bonilla attempted to cross the street at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Tyler Street. The driver of the 2004 Toyota Camry that struck the teen remained at the scene, and officers said they are investigating whether speed was a factor in the crash.
The impact of the crash threw Diaz-Bonilla’s body about 20 to 30 feet, police Lt. Dan Spital said in a news conference.
“A heartbreaking case that is honestly difficult to talk about,” Spital said.
Diaz-Bonilla, who her family described as a “beautiful angel,” dreamed of becoming a nurse, her dad wrote on a GoFundMe page for the family.
The eldest of three children, Diaz-Bonilla had just dropped her younger sister off at school before she started making her way to Justice High School, WRC reported.
Fairfax County Public Schools said they will provide counseling and support to the school community as they grieve.
“Any loss of a staff member, student, or their loved one, deeply impacts our entire FCPS family,” a spokesperson told McClatchy News.
This story was originally published November 17, 2022 at 10:48 AM with the headline "Teen with dreams of being a nurse hit and killed walking to school, Virginia family says."
