Bus tip-over injures Wasilla High students

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - Six Wasilla High School students were released from the hospital this week and four were back in school, two days after suffering minor injuries when their bus rolled on its side and slid aproximately 25 feet down a 12-foot embankment Tuesday afternoon.

"A couple of students took yesterday and will probably take today off," said Wasilla High School Principal Dwight Probasco. "The doctors recommended that."

Bus driver Dennis Little was transporting a bus filled with Wasilla High School students - 17 students, according to the school district, 24 according to the Alaska State Trooper count - as he drove down Cormorant Way, near Snow Goose Drive.

When the bus approached a narrow point on the icy road, Little reportedly pulled over to prevent a possible collision with an oncoming green pickup truck.

According to the troopers, the icy road caused the bus to skid sideways, roll onto its side and slide down into a ditch.

The bus was nearly completely upside down when it hit a patch of trees in the ditch and came to a rest on the passenger side of the bus. When Central Mat-Su Fire Department arrived on the scene, every student except one had exited the bus through its rear emergency door.

"One student was still trapped when we got there," said Battalion Chief Ken Barkley.

The remaining student was reported to be in visible pain as she sat in the bus with her back against the roof.

Firefighters removed the student through the rear exit and carried her back up the bank, through deep snow, using a stretcher.

The six injured students were then transported to Valley Hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries and later released.

Medics at the scene attended to the remaining students for lesser injuries, before they were picked up by another First Student bus and taken home.

Kim Floyd, information specialist for Mat-Su Schools, arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.

"We contacted the parents and the students were brought home pretty late," Floyd said.

A total of approximately 17 firefighters from both Central Mat-Su and Big Lake fire departments were on hand, along with two rescue units and three ambulances.

The unknown driver of the green pickup could not be found, according to troopers.

Floyd and Wasilla High School Principal Dwight Probasco went to Valley Hospital with the injured students to talk with them and their parents.

"That is typically our response," Floyd said.

Maija Hayes works at the hospital and is also the mother of Karamie Hayes, one of the students who was injured and transported to the hospital.

"She just has a mild concussion, so she was really lucky," Hayes said. "She called me on her cell phone right after it happened."

In November, the very same bus with the same number of students went off the same road, when a different driver was unable to get chains on the bus tires.

"We go years without having a bus accident and these children have had two accidents in two and a half months," Probasco said. "There's some emotional issues with some of these kids and they aren't riding the bus - they're scared."

Damage to the bus was estimated to be about $15,000.

Despite the fact that her daughter has experienced two bus incidents in just over two months, Hayes was said she was pleased with the school district's timely response.

"I was very impressed with how they handled it," she said.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.