Wednesday, February 18, 2015

1 DEAD IN THREE-VEHICLE CRASH INVOLVING S. IDAHO SCHOOL BUS






FEBRUARY 17, 2015

MOUNTAIN HOME, IDAHO (AP) - 

UPDATE: Idaho State Police investigating this morning's three-vehicle accident involving a school bus released the name of the deceased driver.
Chance McKeel, 47, of Mountain Home was killed following collisions with a van and then a school bus at approximately 6:53 a.m.

McKeel was driving a 1997 Saturn SL and was turning north onto Simco Road from a dairy near milepost 7. He turned onto Simco Road and crossed over the center line, colliding with a 1995 Ford Econoline van driven by Donald Clark, 52, of Meridian.

Shortly after the initial collision, a Caldwell Transportation Company school bus collided with McKeel's vehicle in the northbound lane. The driver of the school bus was Patrick Coe, 23, of Mountain Home.

Coe, Clarke and the six elementary- and junior-high aged students from the Mountain Home School District on the school bus were not injured in the crash. McKeel was pronounced dead at the scene.

Assistant Superintendent James Gilbert says officials sent another school bus to the crash scene to pick up the kids. He said that they appeared to be doing fine emotionally, but the district will continue to evaluate the situation.

Simco Road was blocked for approximately 3 hours while crews investigated the crash and cleared the scene.
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One person has died in a three-vehicle crash involving a school bus in southwest Idaho.

An Idaho State Police dispatcher says none of the six children aboard the school bus were injured in the Tuesday morning crash but a person in one of two other vehicles involved was killed.

The dispatcher didn't have the age or gender of the person who died.
Authorities responded after receiving a report about a crash at 6:53 a.m. on Simco Road near Mountain Home.

The school bus was carrying students who are in the Mountain Home School District. The ages of the students were unavailable.

Assistant Superintendent James Gilbert says officials sent another school bus to the crash scene to pick up the kids. He said that they appeared to be doing fine emotionally, but the district will continue to evaluate the situation.

A school district secretary who answered the phone says district officials were at the scene and couldn't comment.
Idaho State Police are investigating.