Centralia Police have released details on a school bus and SUV crash that then caused the SUV to go out of control and hit a natural gas meter and the corner of a home.
Police say there were 27 Centralia Junior High and Central School students on the Centralia City Grade School bus when the crash occurred on Friday afternoon. None were injured.
Reports indicate the driver of the bus, 72-year-old Donald Smith of Irvington Road in Centralia, was westbound on 13th Street when he disobeyed the stop sign on South Poplar and ran into an SUV driven by 42-year-old Kendra Poole of North Maple in Centralia.
After impact, the Poole SUV left the road and struck a gas meter before hitting the corner of a home at 1301 South Poplar. There was only very minor damage to the home. Poole was transported to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia by Lifestar Ambulance.
Ameren crews were called out to handle the resulting gas leak.
The bus driver was ticketed for disobeying a stop sign.
Centralia City Grade School Superintendent Craig Clark says several administrators were on the scene and followed district transportation policy that included accident protocols, accident documentation, student rider information, parent notification, and getting uninjured students home.
Centralia Police say the front steps of the same home had just been hit in another accident three months ago.
