SCHOOL BUS CRASH REPORTS 2007

No Injuries in School Bus Accident
February 6, 2007

A wild bus ride on Highway 20 near Rexburg, leaves a high school wrestling team shaken up. The bus driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel.

Witnesses told Local News 8 they saw the bus spin out of control, then plunge backwards off the highway, down a steep embankment, "we didn't roll, so I guess someone was watching over us," said Keith Drake, Firth Wrestling Coach.

"I was sure that they'd flip over," said Mike Sponseller, witnessed the crash.

The Firth Wrestling Team was lucky, no one was hurt as their bus spun out of control Tuesday night. The bus barreled backwards, all the way from the highway, down to a frontage road.

The bus driver says he's been driving buses for 40 years, and a scare like this has never happened to him. He admits he fell asleep at the wheel.

Sponseller was driving behind the bus, on the highway, and he saw the whole thing, "It hit the shoulder, started fish tailing, hit the guard rail, spun a 360," he said. "I thought for sure they were going to flip over the overpass."

The students and coach in the bus told Local News 8 the bus driver did a good job getting the bus under control.

The only damage done, was to the back bumper of the bus. Students on the bus say it was a scary ride.

Many were shaken up, so they didn't go to their wrestling match in Ashton. Instead the Madison County School District loaned them a bus to take them back home to Firth.

Drake says they may try to reschedule their match against North Fremont, but it may have to be a tri-match.

By Jill Margetts

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