UPDATE: Big Lake crash likely caused by sneezing fit

BIG LAKE — An SUV rear-ended a Mat-Su School District bus in Big Lake Tuesday after the driver apparently had a sneezing fit.

Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said 23-year-old Wasilla resident Mary McClinn was driving the red Toyota 4-Runner that slammed into the back of the bus just after 4 p.m.

McClinn, who was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for minor injuries, told troopers she had a sneezing fit while driving and did not see the stopped bus with its lights flashing, Peters said.

McClinn’s passenger, 26-year-old Jesse Earls, also of Wasilla, suffered serious injuries in the crash and was airlifted to Anchorage after being extracted from the car by firefighters.

Neither person was wearing a seat belt and the air bags did not deploy, Peters said.

The school bus McClinn hit was carrying 22 Big Lake Elementary school students, all of whom, including the bus driver, escaped injury.

School district spokeswoman Catherine Esary said the students were loaded onto another bus, then picked up by their parents.

Esary said a counselor would be on hand Wednesday at Big Lake elementary to help students dealing with being in the accident.

As of Wednesday, Peters said she is unaware of any citations in the accident. Alcohol is not suspected in the crash, and Peters said McClinn didn’t appear to be exceeding the 50 mile per hour speed limit.

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.