Driver who hit Jefferson Co. school bus identified
A 62-year-old Madras woman was hurt when her car swerved and crashed into the rear of a stopped school bus on Highway 361 south of Madras Wednesday afternoon , but none of the 43 people aboard the bus were hurt, Oregon State Police said.
According to OSP Lt. Carl Rhodes, around 3:45 p.m., a Jefferson County School District bus with 43 occupants including students grade K-5 was stopped with red flashing lights activated northbound on Highway 361 near milepost 3 to let students off.
Two other vehicles were stopped behind the bus when a northbound 2010 Prius four-door driven by Janet B. Farrell failed to stop.
The Prius swerved toward the highway shoulder, continued past the stopped vehicles and crashed into the right rear of the bus, Rhodes said.
Farrell was taken by ambulance to Mountain View Hospital in Madras for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, they said. A hospital spokeswoman said she was treated and released Wednesday evening.
Troopers said an enforcement decision is pending completion of the investigation and interviews.
The Jefferson County School District sent another bus to the scene to transport students to their destinations.
OSP was assisted at the scene by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Fire District #1, Jefferson County School District and ODOT. The highway was blocked for over an hour.
