NEAR ATLAS, IL – A juvenile driver was killed in a crash involving a school bus near Atlas that happened on U.S. 54 before 7:15 a.m. on Thursday.
An eyewitness told WGEM that the incident unfolded when the driver, a minor, of a vehicle crashed into the back of a school bus, occupied by 10 students and the school bus driver.
The students and bus driver safely evacuated the bus before it caught on fire. While the 11 bus occupants were spared from injuries, the young driver unfortunately died from their injuries, Illinois State Police later confirmed.
The students waited at a nearby house before they were picked up by their parents/guardians.
State Police were assisted by local police, Pike County Sheriff, Spring Creek Fire, Pleasant Hill Fire, Buffalo Township Fire, and Louisiana Fire.
According to a WGEM viewer, it appears fire crews extinguished the bus fire, although U.S. 54 was closed west of 165th Avenue to accommodate the on-scene cleanup process.
Holland Injury Law, LLC’s Illinois wrongful death legal team is committed to helping families who lost their loved ones to deadly collisions. If your family member was killed in a crash caused by the negligence of another, please know that compassionate and premier legal support from our team is within reach. If and when you decide to hire us, you can count on us to help you secure every cent owed to you for funeral expenses, medical bills, and to work with you personally to establish accountability for other emotional and financial losses suffered. We invite you to book a free initial case review online or by phone at (314) 888-7888 today.