Man charged with OWI in crash that flipped school bus

DELAWARE COUNTY, Iowa — A local man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly driving while intoxicated and other infractions in a recent crash with a school bus.

In the Oct. 1 incident, police said that Monte Klink failed to yield at an intersection and caused a collision between his SUV and a West Delaware Community School District bus.

Gary Fonck, the school district's director of building, grounds and transportation, told SBF that the bus was hit on the right side, just in front of the rear wheels.

“The bus rolled one complete revolution and landed back on its wheels, with the front end sitting in the ditch,” Fonck said.

There were 32 students on the school bus, which was not equipped with seat belts. The students, the bus driver and Klink were transported to a hospital, but no one was seriously injured.

“All students were seen by medical staff with only minor/non-life-threatening injuries sustained,” Fonck said.

On Thursday morning, deputies from the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office arrested Klink. He was charged with serious injury by motor vehicle (a Class D felony); operating while intoxicated, second offense; failure to obey yield sign; and failure to provide financial liability.

Klink bonded out of the Delaware County Jail on Thursday. His preliminary court hearing is set for Wednesday.