1 child killed, dozens hurt in school bus crash north of Dayton, state patrol says

CLARK COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - One child is dead and dozens are hurt in a rollover crash involving an Ohio school bus Tuesday morning, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

It happened on the first day of school for students in the Northwestern Local School District in Clark County, about a half-hour northeast of Dayton.

A school bus on an elementary school route “loaded with students” was “sideswiped” by an oncoming 2010 Honda Odyssey minivan that went left of center around 8:16 a.m. on Ohio 41 in German Township., according to the state patrol.

The bus driver tried to avoid the oncoming vehicle but could not. The bus ran off the right side of the road, overturned, and crashed.

The child who died was ejected from the bus and pronounced dead at the scene, troopers say. He has been identified as 11-year-old Aiden Clark.

Another student is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, according to the state patrol.

Twenty-two other young children were taken in ambulances to local area hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The bus driver, Alfred E. Collier, 68, Springfield, suffered minor injuries but was not transported to the hospital, according to the state patrol.

The minivan driver, Hermanio Joseph, 35, and his passenger, Roberto Mompremier, 37, both of Springfield, were taken to Springfield Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

School district officials said in a Facebook post that Aiden was an elementary school student.

Classes are canceled Wednesday, but grief counselors will be available at the schools to help students, staff and community members cope with their grief.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families that have been impacted by this tragedy,” district officials wrote.

A resident who lives near the crash site said he thought something exploded.

“I looked out my window, you know, I said, ‘Dang, it’s a bus that flipped over,’” said Shaun Jeffries. “I was like, wow, that’s crazy.”

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