Five hurt when school bus rams garbage truck
By Frank Abderholden fabderholden@stmedianetwork.com February 9, 2012 7:18PM
Zion-02/09/12, Thurs./Hebron Ave. and Salem Blvd. A wrecking crew member secures a damaged bus involved in a crash with a garbage truck Thursday morning in Zion. Driver of bus was pinned and needed to be extricated. Drivers injuries, and any students injuries on bus unkown at time of photos. | Joe Shuman~for Sun-Times Media
Updated: March 11, 2012 8:46AM
ZION — A bus driver and four students were injured Thursday when a full school bus crashed into the rear of a Veolia garbage truck in the 2400 block of Salem Avenue.
“It looked really bad, but the injuries were minor,” said Police Chief Wayne Brooks. The garbage truck had been stopped and the driver was outside the vehicle when the bus plowed into the rear of the truck. He was not injured.
“She was distracted by the kids,” Brooks said of the driver. “The front of the bus was destroyed.”
The bus driver, Jeanne Booth, 55, of Zion, was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
The students were on their way to West Elementary School in a bus that is owned by Zion-Benton High School District 126. It was westbound on Salem near Hebron Avenue.
The five hurt were taken to Vista Medical Center East, Waukegan, with minor injuries. The students that were taken were transported at their parents’ request.
The other students were transferred to another bus and taken to school.
Patrick Walsh, who had a child on the bus, said all the first responders did their job at the bus crash site and he wanted to thank the police and fire department. He said an assistant principal of West School, Adam Rolands, stayed on the bus to calm the kids.
“It is nice to know that contingency plans are in place and can be implemented to protect and support our kids,” Walsh said.
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