Colome students riding the bus home last Tuesday afternoon were uninjured after the driver collapsed after suffering a medical condition. One of the passengers, a Colome High School student, came up and took control of the steering wheel and stopped the bus. The accident happened west of the Colome football field on 286th St. at 3:13 p.m.
The Tripp County Sheriff’s Office reported the bus went into the ditch and threw a fence. There were 11 students on the bus at the time of the accident. Tripp County Sheriff Shawn Pettit said when he arrived on the scene the students were off the bus and EMTs were working on the driver. The bus driver was transported to Winner Regional Healthcare Center where he died. Pettit said two vans were used to transport the children home following the accident.
Pettit said the high school student was the hero in this accident. “He knew what to do and stopped the bus. He did a great job,” said Pettit. The student called 911 and told dispatchers what had happened. Pettit noted that normally the high school student does not ride the bus home. But on Jan. 17 he rode the bus and Pettit said it was very fortunate the student was on the bus.
Pettit said EMTs from Winner and Colome were on scene of the accident.
Damage to the bus was estimated at $1,500.
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