Students Uninjured in 3-Vehicle Crash Involving Northwest R-1 School Bus

Thirty-five students from Brennan Woods Elementary School, 4630 Brennan Road, High Ridge were on their way home from classes Thursday when the bus in which they were riding was involved in a three-vehicle crash at the intersection of Brennan and Little Brennan roads in High Ridge. None of the students were injured, according to Northwest School District Superintendent Paul Ziegler and High Ridge Fire Protection District Chief Michael Arnhart.

Students were either released to their parents or borded a second bus for the rest of the trip home.

Arnhart said the Northwest bus had just left the Brennan Woods campus and a short time later was stopped at the Brennan/Little Brennan intersection. Another driver was exiting a gas station at the intersection, turned left onto Little Brennan and was hit broadside by another vehicle, Arnhart said. The force of the crash pushed the first vehicle into the left side of the bus. The first car was extensively damaged and the driver was taken to the hospital with "non-life-threatening injuries," Arnhart said.

"The accident looked more serious than it actually was," Arnhart said. "Fortunately the bus was stopped when it was struck or it may have been more serious."

The bus was towed from the scene of the accident.

Ziegler said school officials at the accident the scene and quickly quickly evaluated the seriousness of injuries, if any, to the students or the driver. He said none of the students were injured in the accident.