Scott Stanley, USD 257’s transportation director, gave credit to bus driver Heather Jones and other school employees for their work in the aftermath of a Friday afternoon bus accident that claimed the life of the other driver.
Many details remain unclear — the official report from the Kansas Highway Patrol remains unavailable — other than a northbound car lost control shortly after 2 o’clock, about three miles south of Garnett.
The car, a Chevy Aveo, left the roadway briefly before the driver re-entered the roadway, but over-corrected in doing so.
The car skidded in front of the southbound school bus, and the vehicles collided
“Heather did a great job of keeping the bus on the road,” Stanley said.
As of press time this morning, the other driver, and passenger, were not identified by the Kansas Highway Patrol.
Additionally, a student riding the bus was transported from the scene in an ambulance for treatment at a nearby hospital.
Others, inlcuding the bus driver, suffered other minor injuries, Stanley said. He declined to be more specific, citing confidentiality.
The bus was returning to Iola from a field trip to Kansas City. It was one of three USD 257 buses to make the trip.
The teachers and drivers aboard the other buses immediately assisted in efforts to evacuate the crashed bus, Stanley said.
The students were loaded onto the other two buses, which then returned to Iola about 3:45.
“The drivers and teachers did as good as they couild at getting the other kids off safely and orderly,” Stanley said.
Iola bus collides with vehicle, car’s driver killed
