Flags on the campus at half-mast. Photo: DG. A bouquet of white roses has been placed along the Nijenoord Allee in Wageningen, with a note: ‘You have, and will always be loved’. The memorial is for an 18-year-old student from Wageningen who died on Thursday after having been hit by a taxi bus while riding her bike.
The student was hit when she crossed a busy road. A small memorial has been created near the scene of the accident. Someone has placed a bouquet of white roses with a note for the deceased.
The accident occurred on Thursday at around 14.40 hr on the Nijenoord Allee near Hoevestein in Wageningen. The woman crossed the road on her bicycle at a crossing, where she was hit by an oncoming taxi bus. Medics were deployed but were unable to save the woman.
Children supported
There were several children in the taxi bus. The police transferred them to a safe location. The taxi driver, a 55-year-old woman from Rhenen, was detained after the accident. Detaining the driver(s) is standard procedure in the event of severe accidents. The woman is no longer in custody, ‘she was dismissed after having given a statement,’ a spokesperson of the police states.
‘No substances’
The driver was tested for illegal substances immediately after the accident. ‘No illegal substances were found’, says the spokesperson. ‘I believe this to be a tragic accident, but the precise details are yet to be determined.’ The ongoing investigation into what happened should shed light on this question. According to the spokesperson, ‘Victim counselling is always offered after an occurrence of this severity’. ‘This applies to the driver as well as the passengers.’
Flags at half-mast
A spokesperson confirms that the deceased was a student at WUR. Flags were lowered on the campus on Friday. ‘It is a terrible accident with a sad and fatal outcome’, says the spokesperson, adding that ‘there were reactions of shock and dismay, and our full attention is focused on the family and others involved.’
This article was published in De Gelderlander. Out of respect for the bereaved, Resource will provide no further details at this time.