UPDATE: A 13-year-old boy who suffered serious injuries when a school bus collided with a garbage truck in southeastern Indiana is in fair condition at a Cincinnati hospital. State Police Sgt. Stephen Wheeles says at least 19 of the 22 students on-board the bus were injured, and most had minor injuries.
AURORA, Ind – Shortly before 8:00 am today (3/6/19), Indiana State Police and other first responders were called to two vehicle crash in Dearborn County between a school bus and trash truck, that sent over 20 people to area hospitals with injuries.
The initial investigation by the Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Reconstruction Team indicated that a 2018 Mack trash truck (owned by Rumpke), being driven by 38 year old Brian J. Rumpke, of Cincinnati, was parked on the edge of the eastbound lane while picking up trash from a residence. A 2003 Thomas school bus (owned by Michael L. Hostetler but contracted with the South Dearborn School Corporation), being driven by 64 year old Raymond W. Nies, of Moores Hill, Indiana was traveling eastbound on State Road 350, approaching the trash truck.
The school bus collided with the rear of the trash truck. Both vehicles came to rest in the eastbound lane of State Road 350. Brian Rumpke, who was standing outside of his vehicle, was struck by debris and sustained non-life threatening injuries. Nies sustained serious injuries. Both were transported to High Point Health in Dearborn County, Indiana for treatment. Nies was later transferred to University of Cincinnati Hospital for further treatment.
There were twenty-two students of the South Dearborn School Corporation on the school bus at the time of the crash. Those students were between 6th and 11th grades in school. Seventeen students were transported from the scene by ambulance to High Point Health for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. A 13 year old male student was initially entrapped in the bus. He was later freed from the wreckage. He was transported to High Point Health before being transferred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
The four remaining students were transferred to a different bus and were transported to South Dearborn Middle School and High School. At least one of those students was later transported to High Point Health by a family member for evaluation of minor injuries.
Both Nies and Rumpke submitted to blood draws while at High Point Health although alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be factors at this time.
State Road 350 was closed in the area for approximately four hours for crash investigation and cleanup.
The crash remains under investigation.
