Preschool teacher struck, killed by bus on low-lit road near Ashburn Metro

Flowers, stuffed animals, a balloon and an angel serve as a sober reminder of a life that was just lost on a quiet street in Ashburn, Virginia.

34-year-old Alyssa Kakol of Purceville, Virginia, was a pre-school teacher in Herndon. On Monday night, around 6:30 p.m., she was hit in the street — and according to Loudoun County deputies, the striking vehicle was a Loudoun County Transit bus.

The memorial on Crosson Lane, where the crash took place, is just outside the Ashburn Metro station. There’s not much infrastructure in the area, and there are no overhead lights on the road. It’s a new section of development near the relatively new Silver Line extension.

Once the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office finishes its investigation, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will stop by the area to see if any safety changes need to be made.

Some residents already think more lighting is needed/

“I hope that there’s light from the street, yeah,” resident James Yu said. He was stunned to hear that Kakol was hit and killed crossing the street.

A driver, who didn’t want to go on camera, said she just had a terrible crash at almost the exact same location. She wants more stop signs at the intersection, which is not currently a four-way stop.

“Yeah, I mean, I had my brother and his wife in the car,” she said. “If we weren’t wearing seat belts I don’t really think that we would be here right now.”

As the investigation continues, Loudoun County officers are sharing a message about pedestrian safety.

“It’s a serious thing,” said David Hill, the field operations division commander for Loudoun County Police. “We’ve now had 3 individuals who have been killed in Loudoun County this year crossing the road. And one is too many.”

Alyssa Kakol’s colleagues at the Garnder School of Herndon feel the same — one is too many.

“It is with deep sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Ms. Alyssa Kakol from the Gardner School of Herndon,” her colleagues said in a statement to News4. “Ms. Kakol was deeply loved by her students, their families, and our staff. Her warmth, joy and commitment to children made a lasting impact on our school community, and she will be profoundly missed.”