Police say the 14-year-old was a pedestrian in the area and was not riding the bus when it struck him.
DAYTON, TX - November 2, 2026
Police in Dayton, Texas, responded to a collision at the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Stilson Road around 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 16. Police said a 14-year-old pedestrian, Brantley Conner, was struck by a Dayton Independent School District bus, and reports say he died on Oct. 22.
Key Facts
- Date: Collision on Oct. 16; death reported on Oct. 22; first reported November 2, 2026
- Location: Intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Stilson Road, Dayton, Texas
- Type of crash: Pedestrian struck by a school bus; the driver allegedly left the scene
- Vehicles involved: One Dayton Independent School District school bus
- Injuries / fatalities: One fatality, a 14-year-old pedestrian who had severe injuries. Police have not said whether anyone else was hurt.
- Responding agencies: Dayton Police Department
- Reported by: School Transportation News, citing KTRK
Crash Overview
Police responded at about 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 16 after a report of a collision. According to police, Brantley Conner, an eighth grader at Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, had been walking nearby when a school bus full of students hit him. He had not been riding on the bus.
Brantley's father told KTRK that his son had severe injuries and was flown to a hospital. Brantley died on Oct. 22 from injuries sustained in the collision, according to the father's confirmation reported by the outlet.
Police allege that the driver, 70-year-old Ricky Eugene Cherry, departed the scene without stopping to assist the teen. Cherry was taken into custody several hours later, and jail records reportedly list his first charge as collision causing serious bodily injury. Records show that charge was the first filed against him, but it was not clear whether it had changed after Brantley's death.