Iowa City school van involved in hit-and-run that hurt 12-year-old boy

IOWA CITY - A driver for the Iowa City school district has been placed on administrative leave while officials investigate the employee's involvement in a hit-and-run accident that injured a 12-year-old boy Tuesday afternoon.

The employee was driving a district-owned van, taking students home from school, when the van struck the child at Governor and Burlington streets at 3:23 p.m.

One other student was in the van at the time, but neither the driver nor the student were injured.

The driver's name has not been released.

Iowa City police Sgt. Derek Frank said the van involved was located and an investigation is underway. No arrest has been made.

Police notified the school district Wednesday that a district-owned van was believed to have been involved.

Kristin Pedersen, director of community relations with the Iowa City school district, said the district reached out to the student and his family. While the child sustained minor injuries, he is doing well and is attending school, she said.

'We are incredibly grateful that the student is OK, and we will continue to provide any needed support,” Pedersen said. 'We will continue to cooperate with police and have begun an internal personnel investigation into this matter.”

The boy told police that after the white van struck him and knocked him to the ground Tuesday, the driver stopped the van and waited for the boy to get to his feet before continuing north on Governor Street.

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