Three preschool kids and two adults were killed in a horrific crash between a school bus and a semi-truck in Schuyler County near Rushville which is 57 miles from the state capital of Springfield and 230 miles from Chicago.
Initial investigation revealed that the school bus for unknown reasons crossed into the oncoming traffic lane and collided head-on with the semi truck.
The impact was so powerful that both vehicles burst into flames. The drivers of both the bus and the semi-truck, along with the three kids who were in the school bus, were all killed.
The bus was not carrying any other kids.
The school bus was being driven by Angela Spiker, 57, and the semi-truck was driven by David Coufal, 72. The three kids who were killed were identified as Maria Miller, 5; Andrew Miller, 3; and Noah Driscoll, 3.
Schuyler-Industry Schools informed that classes have been canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday and the students and teachers have been provided with counselors and support staff to tide over the likely distress caused by the tragic incident.
Schuyler-Industry Schools said in a statement on social media,
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce our school community has lost both staff and students in the traffic incident involving one of our school buses this morning. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and our community.”
Schuyler County Sheriff Bill Redshaw said at a news conference Monday afternoon
“When you have loss of life like this, it’s devastating. It’s quite a tragedy”.
Authorities were at the scene of the accident in a few minutes and the National Transportation Safety Board in a statement posted on social media said that it is investigating the fatal accident along with Illinois State Police.
The incident happened at 11.30 a.m. local time and the bus was traveling on Route 24 when it suddenly turned into the oncoming traffic lane and collided with the semi-truck and burst into flames due to the impact.
The Schuyler County coroner Terry L. Millslagle, in a news conference, said that a post-mortem will be conducted later.
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