SUV driver taken to hospital after hitting Bend-La Pine school bus on 27th Street; 7 students, no serious injuries
(Update: SUV driver taken to St. Charles Bend)
Occurred in center turn lane; one student later reported possibly hitting head
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend-La Pine school bus carrying seven middle-schoolers was struck head-on by an SUV in the turn lane of Southeast 27th Street by High Desert Middle School on Thursday morning, officials said. No serious injuries were reported on the bus, though one student later said they might have hit their head.
The SUV driver apparently was injured in the crash, which was reported around 8:30 a.m. in the 60000 block of 27th Street, just north of Rickard Road.
Bend-La Pine Schools spokesman Scott Maben said the bus had just pulled out from the loop around the middle school, taking the students to Realms Middle School in northeast Bend, and was waiting in the center turn lane for northbound traffic to clear when an oncoming vehicle crossed into the turn lane and hit the front of the bus.
The students were transferred to another bus and continued on their route to Realms.
Initially, he said, no students were reported injured, nor the driver. But a school nurse checked on each student before class and one said they may have bumped or hit their head. Maben said it would be up to the student’s family if they want to take them for evaluation.
The SUV driver, a 76-year-old Bend man, was treated by Bend Fire medics on the scene and taken to St. Charles Bend for further treatment, Deschutes County sheriff's Sgt. Jason Wall said.
SE 27th Street was closed for a short time to conduct the investigation, evaluate and transport patients, and remove the damaged vehicles, Wall added. He said the investigation was ongoing and more information may be released later.
