1 dead, 5 injured in school bus crashes

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Last week, two Rockford Public Schools 205 buses were involved in crashes here, leaving one dead and five injured.

In the first accident, a semi truck collided with a school bus. Rockford Deputy Chief Theo Glover told WTVO/FOX 39 that the bus driver’s view was blocked by the sun and she drove through an intersection. The bus was blocking the street and the truck could not stop in time to prevent the collision. 

Four children were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the bus was ticketed.           

About 15 minutes later, another Rockford Public Schools 205 bus was rear-ended by a car.

“The passenger of the car was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver was airlifted to St. Anthony’s for treatment,” Winnebago County Sheriff’s Deputy Stephen DePauw told the news source. Two students on the bus were not injured.

District 205 officials said the school bus drivers are off of their routes while an investigation into the incidents continues, pending drug and alcohol test results.