Wisconsin: School bus, semitrailer collide
SILVER LAKE, Wis. (AP) - May 23, 2008 "One of the kids that was stepping off the bus was actually
ejected as the bus was hit from behind," said Kenosha County
Sheriff David Beth.
Two other children, the truck driver and the bus driver also
were seriously injured, Beth said.
The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, he said,
but two of the children were airlifted to Children's Hospital of
Wisconsin in suburban Milwaukee.
The bus was loaded with 16 children from Wheatland Center School
District, ranging from fourth to eighth graders. Some students had
minor injuries and were taken to four area hospitals for treatment,
Beth said.
"As rescue people came, they found children scattered all over
the grass. Some of the children were bounced around pretty
handily," Beth said.
The front end of the semi was smashed in, and the bus was pushed
at an angle across part of the divided four-lane highway. Neither
vehicle tipped over.
He said investigators think the trucker did not see the bus.
There were no skid marks where the accident happened about 3:40
p.m. just over a rolling ridge on state Highway 50.
"The semi came over the hill and struck the bus right in the
middle of the rear end," Beth said.
The truck driver talked authorities later at the hospital.
"He may have been occupied inside the cab drinking a soda,"
the sheriff said. "He was either coughing or choking on it."
