Truck Slams Into School Bus, 13 Injured Northwest of Royal City
The Grant County Sheriff's Office reports despite some injuries, all 17 students are OK after their school bus was knocked on its side Monday afternoon.
Pickup ran a stop sign, hit bus on the driver's side
Around 3:40 PM, A Wahluke School District bus was driving south on Road O Southwest, a few miles northwest of Royal City, and northeast of Mattawa. The District is based out of Mattawa.
Near the intersection with Road 27 Southwest, in a rural area, a 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup ran the stop sign with Road O, and slammed into the driver's side of the bus.
The impact caused the bus to roll onto its side. 17 students, grades K-8, were on board. 13 of them were taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, and Trios Southridge Hospital in Kennewick. All of the students sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Four of them were treated at the scene and were able to be released to family or caregivers.
The bus driver, 40-year-oldMarco Bravo Guerrero of Desert Aire, was checked by EMTs but refused further treatment.
The driver of the Dodge, identified as 48-year-old Jose Ramirez of Mattawa, was taken to Kadlec, having sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The GCSO says extremely dense fog and bad visibility likely contributed to the crash, with no mention of any charges at this time.
The investigation continues.
KEEP READING: Scroll to see what the big headlines were the year you were born
Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa