First day of school includes minor school bus accident

TAYLORSVILLE — A Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. bus transporting 29 children to Taylorsville Elementary School was involved in an minor accident on the first day of school.

Karen Wetherald, BCSC transportation director, said the bus struck the rear of a vehicle as it was turning onto Tannehill Road. No injuries were reported due to the incident, which occurred about 8:10 a.m. Wednesday, she said.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies said the bus driver was turning east on County Road 650N from Main Street, and when he attempted to stop, the bus brakes malfunctioned and he struck a vehicle in the rear. Indiana State Police troopers were sent to the accident to examine the school bus.

The bus driver, who started in 2016 and was not identified, was tested for drugs and alcohol under the district’s policy, which requires testing whenever an accident occurs, Wetherald said.

Students on the bus were evaluated at the scene by emergency medical technicians and then transported to school on a different bus, Wetherald said.