Bus driver dead after being struck by Prince William County school bus

With children returning to school in several districts, police are reminding drivers of school traffic safety laws. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
A school bus driver for Prince William County schools has died after being struck by a bus. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
A 62-year-old bus driver was struck and died when a Prince William County school bus was backing out of a service area. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
A 62-year-old bus driver was struck and died when a Prince William County school bus was backing out of a service area. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
The scene where a bus driver was struck by a Prince William County school bus in Bristow, Virginia. (NBC Washington)
The scene where a bus driver was struck by a Prince William County school bus in Bristow, Virginia. (NBC Washington)
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With children returning to school in several districts, police are reminding drivers of school traffic safety laws. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
A 62-year-old bus driver was struck and died when a Prince William County school bus was backing out of a service area. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
The scene where a bus driver was struck by a Prince William County school bus in Bristow, Virginia. (NBC Washington)

WASHINGTON — A Prince William County school bus driver is dead after he was struck by another school bus while standing in a lot in Bristow, Virginia.

Richard Lee Proffitt, 62, of Manassas, was struck when a bus was backing out of a service area at McCuin Operations Center around 7:30 a.m.

Proffitt was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other driver, a 60-year-old man, was not injured. Prince William County Police said in an update Monday morning they are still investigating the crash and no charges have been filed.

“This is very, very unusual,” said Prince William County Public Schools spokesman Phil Kavits. “I have not, in my nearly seven years here, heard of anything like this on the bus lot … or anywhere.”

There were no children on the bus at the time of the incident, Kavits said.

“It is a terrible day. And if you think about it, the individuals here have lost a friend, a colleague, and really a member of the family in some ways,” Kavits said.

“And this is a situation where they have to continue doing their job, and getting kids to and from school, so it’s very sad and very difficult for them.”

Kavits said that a team of counselors would be available to help workers at the center and at the affected schools to help students who knew the driver.

The investigation is ongoing.

WTOP’s Kathy Stewart contributed to this report.

Will Vitka

William Vitka is a Digital Writer/Editor for WTOP.com. He's been in the news industry for over a decade. Before joining WTOP, he worked for CBS News, Stuff Magazine, The New York Post and wrote a variety of books—about a dozen of them, with more to come.

Joslyn Chesson

Joslyn Chesson is a producer at WTOP. She was born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia and graduated in May 2017 from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where she studied Media Studies and Spanish Language.

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