A school bus transporting three young students in Lake County, Ohio collided with a light-colored Pontiac on the morning of Tuesday, April 14, 2015. Although none of the children on board the bus were hurt in the accident, the driver of the car that struck the bus did sustain injuries. The accident took place at the corner of Meister Road and Lakeshore Boulevard in the city of Mentor. Five people, including two adults and three children, were on the bus at the time of the crash. The Pontiac’s driver was reportedly the sole occupant of the car.
The driver of the car, the bus driver and an aide on the school bus at the time of the incident were all taken to area hospitals. The bus driver and the aide to the driver were taken via ambulance to Hillcrest Hospital, located in the nearby Mayfield Heights neighborhood. The car’s driver was reportedly air lifted to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cincinnati to receive further medical care after being taken via ambulance to a local medical facility. Her exact condition and whether she is expected to survive her injuries is not known.
The driver of the automobile is reported as being a female, aged 38. The crash allegedly took place when the Pontiac pulled out in front of the bus, causing the bus to hit the car’s front end from the side in a T-bone collision. The front of the car showed severe damages, and the driver of the vehicle had to be pried out via mechanical means. There was some damage to the front end of the school bus, but it was far less extensive than the damage incurred to the Pontiac.
Witnesses stated that the intersection has seen its fair share of collisions in the past, mostly related to poor weather conditions. However, weather was not suspected of being a causal factor in this crash. There is a blind curve near the intersection of Meister Road and Lakeshore Boulevard, which may also contribute to the greater-than-usual number of traffic accidents along this stretch of road. It is not known whether drugs or alcohol played a contributing role in this accident, and the collision remains under investigation at this time. No word yet as to whether charges will be filed as a result of this incident.