School Bus Crash Injures Students, Man Killed
An Illinois driver was killed Monday when he ran into a school bus transporting children head on. Five elementary children were transported to St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, Missouri for injuries arising from the bus crash. The extent of the children's personal injuries is unknown.
The Illinois driver, identified as Earnest Stephens, of Illinois, was killed in the crash. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, a passenger in the vehicle, Brennan Klunk, was seriously injured and was taken by helicopter to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.
The crash happened as the Illinois driver attempted to pass another vehicle heading north on Highway 94. As the vehicle was passing the car, it crashed head on into the school bus. After the crash, the bus slid into a ditch along the roadway. No estimates of vehicle speed were given. The driver of the bus declined to give a statement as to how the crash happened.
It is common for a bus driver's employer to have a policy that no statement be given because of litigation. Missouri personal injury lawyers often hire investigators to obtain voluntary statements from the involved parties. Sometimes drivers refuse to give statements to an investigator. In these cases, a personal injury lawsuit must be filed, and then the driver will be required to give a deposition and state what happened in the crash.
Corporal Julie Scerine of the Missouri Highway Patrol investigated the bus crash.
