May 8, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Three Injured in Morning School Bus Accident

Three high school students complaining of minor injuries were treated and transported to local hospitals this morning by fire department paramedics after the Caddo Parish school bus they were on was struck by an eighteen-wheeler at the intersection of Greenwood Road and West Bert Kouns. The accident occurred shortly after 8:00 a.m. when the eighteen-wheeler, attempting to turn onto the westbound lane of Greenwood Road from Bert Kouns, struck the right, driver’s side fender well of the bus that was in the eastbound lane of Greenwood Road.

Firefighters and paramedics assessed all nine children onboard the bus at the time of the accident, as well as the drivers of both vehicles for injuries. Two of the students were transported to Willis Knighton Medical Center, with the other being taken to Christus Schumpert Highland Medical Center. All were complaining of soft tissue type injuries such as neck and back pain, with one complaining of leg pain.

At the time of impact, the school bus was completely stopped, despite the fact it had the right-of-way. The driver came to a stop, possible preventing further injuries, when it saw the eighteen-wheeler attempting to negotiate the wide turn at the intersection. The bus, number 157, was bound for Hunting High School at the time of the accident. Fire officials are always on a heightened sense of awareness when school busses are involved in accidents due to the high potential for injury. Shreveport Police issued the driver of the eighteen-wheel a ticket for failure to yield: contact Kacee Hargrove at SPD for more information regarding that matter at 673-6932.

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