(Photo courtesy WMBD-TV)
By Howard Packowitz
MCLEAN COUNTY – A Unit 5 school bus turned on its side, injuring three students and the driver, after the bus collided with a car on a fog-shrouded roadway near Evans Junior High, southeast of Bloomington.
The accident happened about 4 p.m. Wednesday on Rt. 150 and Abraham Rd. Illinois State Police say 46 kids were on the bus.
Superintendent Mark Daniel said the three children and the driver were taken to area hospitals. Injuries to the kids were minor.
“For the bus sliding off and turning on its side, we could have had many more injuries, and perhaps even a level of severe injuries,” Daniel said at Wednesday night’s school board meeting.
“We can thank our lucky stars (that) our students are home with their parents. We believe the driver sustained some injuries as well, and we hope the driver will have a speedy recovery.”
Daniel said it appears the bus driver was not at fault. Information about the driver of the other vehicle was not available.
State Police are investigating the accident.
Officers from Bloomington and McLean County Sheriff’s Police blocked off southbound 150 at Woodrig Road, a few miles from the scene, allowing only parents to pass through so they could pick up their children.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at howard.packowitz@cumulus.com
