An accident this morning involving a school bus and two Jeep vehicles resulted in one death and several injuries. The incident occurred at the intersection of Route 173 (Rosecrans Road and Kilbourn Road. Reports are that the school bus ignored a red light and was hit broadside by an open-top Jeep Wrangler. The bus then hit a Jeep Cherokee as the bus rolled onto it’s side. All of the school children were out of the bus when the first fire companies arrived. A 3rd Alarm EMS (Life-Safety) Box was requested. Several transports were made via ambulances and many children were driven to the hospital on another school bus with fire department personnel on-board. Flight-For-Life was called to the scene but did not take any patients, as the driver of the Jeep Wrangler was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tim Olk was at the scene and submitted a few quick images.

The driver of this vehicle was killed in the crash. Tim Olk photo

Flight-For-Life was at the scene but did not transport a patient. Tim Olk photo

The Chicago Tribune has an article:

A man was killed when a school bus driver apparently ran a red light and collided with two SUVs near Wadsworth, but officials said the injuries among the dozens of elementary students on board were considered minor.

The accident happened around 8:05 a.m. at Route 173 and Kilbourne Road in Newport Township near Wadsworth as the bus was taking children to the Newport Elementary School, which holds grades kindergarten through fifth grade, officials said.

The bus “may have been late on the light” as it traveled west on Route 173 and struck a Jeep Wrangler headed south on Kilbourne, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said, citing witness accounts. “Close to a T-bone.” A Jeep Cherokee at the intersection was also “hit very hard,” he said.

The driver of the Wrangler was killed. Officials described the injured children as “walking wounded.”

The children were out of the bus when paramedics arrived. Twenty-three were determined to be code green, or good to fair condition, officials said. They were put on another bus with two paramedics on board and two ambulances as escorts on its way to Advocate Condell Hospital in Libertyville.

Another 12 students were sent to hospitals by ambulance.

Twenty-three of the children were taken by another school bus to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with two paramedics on board and two ambulances following.

Twelve other children were taken by ambulance to other hospitals, along with two people from the Jeep Cherokee.

Dr. Charles Nozicka, medical director for the pediatric ER at Advocate Condell, said around noon that all but one child has been released. The last child is being held for further observation; he said it’s not clear yet if the child will remain hospitalized overnight.

The Tribune article is HERE with a video segment that includes helicopter images of the scene.

Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune, April 5, 2013

A large gallery of images by Chris Walker is HERE.

Tags: Chris Walker, driver killed in crash with school bus, fatal accident in Newport Township, Flight for Life, medevac at crash scene, Newport Township FPD, school box knocked on side from crash, school bus crash, Tim Olk