School bus, pick-up truck collide

UPDATED (Aug. 19, noon):

LAKES COMMUNITY — Troopers reported no injuries after a pickup truck and school bus collided about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon between Palmer and Wasilla. However, at least one woman said her child had to be taken to the emergency room due to the accident with a sore neck.

According to troopers First Student school bus driven by Robert Ferguson, 56, of Wasilla, and carrying about 40 students failed to yield to a 2015 Chevy Silverado driven east on Bogard Road by Patrick Stillman, 31, of Anchorage. The bus also struck an Alaska Department of Transportation light duty truck stopped at the intersection, according to troopers.

As Stillman approached the intersection of Trunk and Bogard, he said the school bus tried to turn left onto Stringfield Road, and the two vehicles collided.

“The bus just pulled right out in front of me,” he said.

Long lines of motorists could be seen backing up in either direction around the crash.

Troopers cited Ferguson for failure to yield.

Stillman had previously said he saw no injuries at the scene. Students were spotted leaving the scene in another school bus shortly after a Frontiersman reporter arrived.

However, shortly after the crash, word began to spread on social media of students who missed school as a result of apparent minor injuries.

Kelly Parker said First Student hadn’t notified her that her 14-year-old daughter, Camryn Evans, was involved in the crash. When she arrived at the scene, a traffic flagger waved her through without answering questions, Parker said. She discovered the students had been transported home via another bus only when her daughter called her on a cell phone to report that she was walking home from the bus stop.

“The only kids that got checked out by the paramedics were kids that were crying,” Parker said. “My daughter’s tough and she never complains.”

Later that night, Camryn began complaining of pain. They went to the emergency room, where doctors diagnosed the girl with whiplash, Parker said. Camryn missed school Wednesday, and could possibly return to the emergency room, Parker said.

“The pain’s radiating down her back,” Parker said.

Parker said she’s heard of at least one other student who missed school complaining of pain from the injury.

“I think there’s more kids that are hurting today,” she said.

The bus and pickup were both disabled by the collision and towed from the scene. Stillman said his vehicle was towed from the scene.

Wasilla First Student officials did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

ORIGINAL STORY:

LAKES COMMUNITY — A pickup truck and a school bus collided about 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, forcing delays along Bogard Road between Palmer and Wasilla.

Patrick Stillman, who was driving a blue Chevy Silverado eastbound on Bogard Road, said pictures of the crash had already widely circulated on the Internet, even as Alaska State Troopers worked to clear the scene. His pickup truck was totaled, he said.

Students were loaded into another First Student school bus and driven home, Stillman.

As Stillman approached the intersection of Trunk and Bogard, he said the school bus tried to turn left onto Stringfield Road, and the two vehicles collided.

“The bus just pulled right out in front of me,” he said.

Long lines of motorists could be seen backing up in either direction around the crash.

Troopers could not immediately furnish additional information Tuesday afternoon, said spokeswoman Megan Peters.

Officials at First Student weren’t immediately available to confirm details.

This is a developing story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Contact Reporter Brian O’Connor at 352-2270, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.