Nikole Babb, nbabb@cherryroad.com
Around 8am on Wednesday morning a USD 394 bus was involved in a rear end accident while starting its normal morning route. A third party called Butler County 911 who notified emergency personnel to respond to the accident.
The bus was traveling northbound in the 1800 block of N Rose Hill Rd, just between SW 160th and SW 170th when it came to a complete stop. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office reports that the bus driver had turned on the warning lights and pushed out the stop signs when it was rear ended. The two children who were on the bus at the time are children of the driver and were unharmed from the collision.
The blue SUV car that hit the buss from behind was driven by a 40-year-old woman whose name hasn’t been released by the agency due to the ongoing investigation and family notification of children and all involved. The reason the woman hit the bus is unknown at this time, but it isn’t believed that she was trying to pass the bus.
The vehicle sustained major front-end damage that pinned the driver into her car. Due to her being physically pinned and unable to exit her vehicle, firefighters from Butler County Fire District #3, (BCFD #3), used the hydraulic spreaders, known as the Jaws of Life, to safely remove her from the vehicle.
The woman was transported to a Wichita area hospital in serious condition. While she was evaluated with head and leg injuries, she was breathing and conscious when she left the scene. The bus driver reported neck pain but refused emergency care while on scene.
“We aren’t sure exactly what happened,” said BCFD #3 Fire Chief Kevin Webster. “But with various distractions, especially cell phones in our hands these days, it’s important to remain focused on the roadway when driving.”
Responding agencies included the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Fire District #3, Rose Hill Police Department, Andover Fire-Rescue and the Kansas Highway Patrol.
“We were very pleased with how all the emergency personnel responded to the scene, they did a great job,” said Chuck Lambert, Rose Hill Public Schools USD 394 Superintendent. “We’re also pleased with how our bus driver dealt with the situation when it happened.”
