Bemidji School Bus Crash: Vehicle Drove Through Stop Sign, Investigators Say

BELTRAMI COUNTY, MN — A bus loaded with elementary students crashed and ended up on its side in a ditch north of Bemidji on Wednesday morning. One student was airlifted while five others were taken by ambulance. Sanford Health says it has established a hotline for parents and guardians of children who may have been involved in the bus accident: (218) 333-6040.

Sanford Health officials said people may also report to Sanford Bemidji Medical Center’s Education C room, 1300 Anne St. N.W., Bemidji. The bus involved was bus No. 25 for Independent School District 31.

At about 8:00 a.m., the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office responded to a crash on Irvine Avenue at South Movil Lake Road in Northern Township north of Bemidji involving a passenger car and a Bemidji ISD school bus.

First responders and officers found the bus on its side in the west ditch south of the intersection. Several students were still inside the bus and many were suffering from minor injuries, some from more serious injuries, according to a news release.

Rescue crews quickly extricated the students from the bus and most who did not appear to be injured were transferred to a second bus and five who were obviously injured were transported by ground ambulance to the emergency department at Sanford and one was transferred by air ambulance. The driver of the vehicle who struck the bus was also transported by ground ambulance and is in serious condition at Sanford Hospital.

Investigators say they learned the bus was traveling southbound on Irvine Avenue and the driver of the passenger car had been east bound on South Movil Lake Road and drove through the stop sign striking the school bus in the right side causing the school bus to lose control swerving onto the soft shoulder on the west side of Irvine rolling on its side in the ditch. One child was pinned inside the bus and had to be extricated by Bemidji Fire Rescue.

Responding to the scene were Bemidji Fire Department, Bemidji Police, Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, MN State Patrol, Bemidji Ambulance, North Air Ambulance, Blackduck Ambulance, Cass Lake Ambulance, MN DOT, Beltrami Highway Department, Bemidji ISD, Beltrami Industrial and Southside Towing.

The Bemidji School District and Sanford Hospital Staff handled crisis care with assistance from Upper Mississippi Mental Health Center and several area Pastors who responded to the Emergency Department with assistance.

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