Boy dies days after bus crash

A 7-year-old boy who attended Hoffman-Boston Elementary School died Wednesday night, the second student to succumb to injuries suffered in the accident involving a school bus and a trash truck in Arlington earlier this week.

Harrison Orosco, a second-grader, died at Children’s Hospital in the District. He never regained consciousness after the crash. Nine-year-old Lilibeth Gomez, a third-grader, died Monday at the scene of the crash, and 16 others, including Harrison’s stepsister Milagros Gamboa and the two drivers, were injured.

“Harrison Orosco was a happy, warm and loving son, friend and brother,” said Laurie Granger, a friend who spoke on behalf of Harrison’s family yesterday. “He loved soccer, science and learning. Harrison will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him.”

Friends and relatives told The Washington Times in a telephone interview yesterday afternoon that the boy’s family was traumatized, tolerating the situation.

“They’re doing all right,” said Maria Elena Garcia, a cousin of Harrison’s stepfather Javier Gamboa, a construction worker who immigrated to the U.S. from Bolivia.

Milagros, 11, suffered liver damage in the collision. She was released from the hospital about the same time Harrison died, a family friend said yesterday. “She is out of danger,” the family friend told The Times.

Marisol Gonzalez, Harrison’s mother and Mr. Gamboa’s wife, was resting yesterday afternoon and could not speak to The Times.

“She hasn’t slept since Monday,” the family friend said. Mrs. Gonzalez is an immigrant from Peru.

A makeshift memorial was erected on the family’s front lawn in Arlington yesterday. A bouquet of white roses was tied to a tree that was surrounded by three worn soccer balls. A white balloon, tied to a chain-link fence that surrounds the yard, bounced in the wind.

“It’s dispiriting to say the least,” Superintendent Robert G. Smith told the Associated Press outside Hoffman-Boston Elementary. “We’re just very, very sad.”

Investigators have not released any information on the cause of the crash that occurred Monday morning at the intersection of Columbia Pike and South Courthouse Road in Arlington.

“We’re not going to talk specifics until the investigation is complete. The time line for that is probably going to be measured in weeks instead of days,” said Matthew Martin, a spokesman for the Arlington County Police Department.

According to police, the school bus driver was trying to turn left onto South Courthouse Road when the bus collided with the trash truck heading in the opposite direction. Authorities planned to re-enact the events this week.

The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting a separate investigation that could take as long as a year, agency officials had said.

The school bus driver, Pam Sims, 37, was released from the hospital yesterday. A relative at her home said she could not talk about the accident because of a “pounding headache.” Miss Sims lives a few blocks from Harrison’s family.

The trash truck driver, James S. Wallace, 41, remains in the hospital. Mr. Wallace’s aunt, Thomasena Ellis, told The Times yesterday that Mr. Wallace is “holding on but not out of the danger zone” from the injuries he sustained in the crash. Miss Ellis said Mr. Wallace has not discussed specifics of the accident.

“He hasn’t really talked about it,” said Miss Ellis from Mr. Wallace’s hospital room. “He’s been very concerned about the children. He’s always asking how they’re doing. We’re just trying to keep him focused on his health.”

Miss Ellis said Mr. Wallace has not been able to sleep because of flashbacks of the accident. She said she had not yet told Mr. Wallace about Harrison’s death.

“It’s grim and gloom right now,” she said. “It’s just a horrible situation.”

A small memorial of flowers, ribbons, balloons and stuffed animals tied to a signpost at the crash site reminded passers-by of the week’s tragic events.

Lilibeth’s funeral Mass will be held today in the District.

Michael Griffin, of the Griffin Group Inc., is the benefactor who came forward anonymously earlier this week to pay Lilibeth’s funeral expenses. He declined to comment yesterday on whether he also would donate money to help pay for Harrison’s funeral.

“All attention should be given to the family,” Mr. Griffin said, responding to questions about his donation. “This is a very serious situation and very sad for everyone involved.”

Mr. Griffin planned to attend one of two wakes held for Lilibeth yesterday at the Arlington Funeral Home.

The Hoffman-Boston PTA set up a fund to help both children’s families pay for funeral expenses, said Linda Erdos, a spokeswoman for Arlington County Public Schools.

Funeral arrangements for Harrison were pending last night.

An outpouring of generosity from people across the country has been “wonderfully rewarding,” Miss Erdos said. “There have been flowers, there have been lots and lots of cards and just an overflow of gifts.”

• Jim McElhatton contributed to this report.