3 dead, 18 hospitalized when bus carrying students and truck crash on Ohio highway, officials say

Three individuals have lost their lives and 18 have been hospitalized following a collision on an Ohio highway involving a charter bus transporting high school students and a semi-truck, as reported by an emergency official.

Sean Grady, Director of the Licking County Emergency Management Agency, detailed that the incident, which occurred on Tuesday morning, involved five vehicles, including a Pioneer Trails charter bus carrying 57 passengers from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio.

Lt. Nathan Dennis from the Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed fatalities but refrained from elaborating further, citing the ongoing process of informing the victims’ families.

Superintendent Derek Varansky of Tuscarawas Valley revealed that the bus was en route to a conference held by the Ohio School Boards Association in Columbus, carrying students and chaperones from the district. In the wake of the tragedy, the conference was subsequently canceled, with Jeff Chambers, the association’s communication services director, emphasizing their focus on supporting the Tuscarawas Valley community and providing grief counselors.

The crash took place just before 9 a.m. on Interstate 70 West near the Smoke Road underpass, approximately 26 miles east of Columbus. The cause of the accident remains undetermined.

Victims were treated across seven different hospitals. Pioneer Trails, the charter bus company, acknowledged the incident and pledged cooperation with the ongoing investigation, extending their thoughts and prayers to those affected.

The American Red Cross of Central and Southern Ohio responded to the emergency by supplying additional blood to hospitals in need. A nearby United Methodist Church in Etna was transformed into a center for unaffected bus passengers to reconnect with their families, as informed by Marita Salkowski, the regional communications director.

Emergency response teams were heavily present at the site, with Ohio Department of Transportation cameras capturing smoke emanating from the crash location. The accident led to the closure of nearby entrance ramps to Interstate 70, resulting in increased traffic.

Mickey Lymon of the Licking County Coroner’s Office confirmed their involvement in the investigation, directing further inquiries to state police.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, addressing the media at the scene, expressed deep concern, noting the severity of accidents involving buses full of children.

This incident follows another fatal crash in September, where a charter bus carrying high school students to a band camp in New York met with an accident, resulting in two deaths and several injuries.

The report includes contributions from Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, along with Ron Todt from Philadelphia and Bruce Shipkowski from Toms River, New Jersey.

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More about Ohio bus crash

• Ohio Highway Bus Collision Report
• Licking County Emergency Response Details
• Tuscarawas Valley School District Statement
• Ohio School Boards Association Conference Cancellation
• Interstate 70 West Accident Updates
• Pioneer Trails Charter Bus Company Response
• American Red Cross of Central and Southern Ohio Involvement
• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s Statement on the Accident
• Historical Context of Charter Bus Accidents in the U.S.