Sunday's Internet Edition, July 20, 2008.
|
| Rick Schwend, above, of the Copperas Cove Independent School District walks in front of the CCISD bus that was involved in a near head-on collision Wednesday. Left, the front of the bus was pushed back even with the front two passendger seats. Bottom the Lincoln also sustained extensive damage.. – Photo by LARRY HAUK |
News editor - A driver who fell asleep at the wheel caused a near head-on collision early Wednesday morning as it side swept a Copperas Cove Independent School District Bus.
Eight CCISD employees were injured as a result of the accident, which occurred on FM 116.
Department of Public Safety Officer Gary Stiles said the accident appeared to have happened when Chindi Akwitti of Killeen was driving toward Copperas Cove from work around 6 a.m. and feel asleep at the wheel. She crossed the center stripe, which caused the bus driver, Joseph Riley, who was traveling northbound, to swerve in his attempt to miss the car. The vehicles collided, which caused Riley to lose control of the bus and slam into a tree in a nearby ditch.
Riley was transported to Coryell Memorial Hospital in Gatesville with injuries to the head, chest and leg. The driver of the 1997 Lincoln was not injured.
“The driver of the bus had to be taken to the hospital, and ended up with 10 stitches on his head,” Director of Support Services Jim Kline said. “Overall, he’s doing good now, just some bumps and bruises as well as a stiff neck.”
Also injured in the accident were Jennifer Matscherz, Donna Eisenhauer, John Constancio, Danila Taylor, Jose Kelly, Gail Eldridge and Nancy Easterling.
The CCISD employees were food service workers who were on their way to China Spring for a conference.
The driver of the bus did not have to be drug tested because he did not qualify for all of the needed criteria as mandated by law.
“The law only required for the driver to be blood tested if they meet all three of the criteria stipulations,” Kline said. “He did not meet all three things.”
The criteria for a school bus driver to be tested includes the driver getting a citation for an infraction due to the accident, there has to be a vehicle from the scene towed and someone has to be transported from the scene.
Riley met two of the criteria, but was not cited for the accident, as it was not his fault.
Since this is the summer break for CCISD, Kline said that Riley would not have to be placed on paid leave.
“We do have a rotation for special events,” Kline said. “Now if his name does come up for one of those, I’m pretty sure that we will just give him credit for the job.”
Kline said that the bus, which cost the district about $82,000, was probably totaled and that they would be very lucky if the driver of the Lincoln carried that much insurance.
“We will recover what we can,” Kline said. “Most policies provide only about $40,000 and unfortunately that is just not very much.”
The bus is considered an activity bus, which is primarily used for special field trips and other trips.