According to Montana State Highway Patrol Trooper Heaney, who responded to the incident, a school bus crashed on the afternoon of Thursday, February 20 with a driver and two students on board. The crash took place near the end of the bus route up Middle Burnt Fork Road, east of Stevensville.
The two students on board during the crash were a 15-year-old male and a 14-year-old female. Heaney said that the female had an injury to her nose.
“She hit the seat in front of her,” he said. He said she had a bloody nose but that he didn’t believe it was broken. The driver had a puncture wound to his leg.
“I think a bolt or something stuck him in his leg,” said Heaney.
He said an ambulance responded and all three were examined by EMS personnel and no one was transported. The students were released to their parents.
As to what happened, Heaney said, “For some unknown reason the bus went off the road, basically. He [the driver] doesn’t know what happened.”
Heaney said that no tickets have been issued yet. He said blood tests were being conducted by the state crime lab, which is required anytime a school bus driver is involved in a school bus accident. He said those results would determine what happens from here. It could take up to a month to get the results, he said.
On February 25, the Stevensville School District issued the following statement:
“Stevensville Schools bus contractor Harlow’s Bus Service experienced an accident on an afternoon route February 20, 2020. Law enforcement, emergency services, Harlow’s Bus services, and school administration responded to the incident.
At the time of the wreck, two high school students were on the bus. Both students were released to parents at the scene of the accident. No students were transported by emergency vehicle. One student was transported for medical evaluation by parents following evaluation by EMTs. Thankfully, there were no injuries requiring emergency transport of a student.
Because Harlow’s is the contractor for this bus route, they are the primary contact. Harlow’s Bus Service has initiated an investigation separate from the law enforcement investigation. As this is an ongoing investigation, the School District has limited information.
At this time, Harlow’s has communicated that the driver involved in the incident is not driving pending results of the investigations. The company has also indicated that all commercial driver licensing (CDL), bus inspections, driver testing, drug testing, and submissions to the Office of Public Instruction are complete and up-to-date for both the driver and bus.
Harlow’s Bus Service has assured the District that they will keep us informed as they garner more information from the investigations.
The Stevensville School District is committed to student safety, and will evaluate information as it becomes available.”
When he responded for comment, Jake Iverson, manager for Harlow Bus Services, was apparently unaware of the student’s injury and told the Bitterroot Star that only the bus driver sustained injuries. He said that his company was pursuing an independent investigation into the accident but that at the present time he could not comment on it.