Wm. Penn school bus hits two youths in Phila.

A school bus for the William Penn School District in Delaware County struck two boys riding a bicycle in the 100 block of North 54th Street in West Philadelphia yesterday afternoon, Philadelphia police said.

The boys - a 9-year-old and 10-year-old - were riding together on the bike when they were struck about 4:45 p.m. by a bus that had been transporting children from Delaware County to a program in Philadelphia. Police, who were still investigating the accident last night, said the two children darted in front of the bus and the operator did not have a chance to stop.

The bus was operated by a transportation company under contract with the district, said Charlotte Hummel, a school board member of William Penn, which serves Darby, Lansdowne and Yeadon.

Police said the younger boy was taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with a head injury. He was listed in critical condition. The second boy was also taken to the hospital with a foot injury and was in stable condition, police said. Their names were not released.

- Jennifer Lin