State Troopers: Truck Driver Fell Asleep Before Crashing Into School Bus
WELD COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- A school bus was involved in a crash in Weld County on Thursday afternoon. The bus driver was seriously injured. Investigators with the Colorado State Patrol say the driver of the truck fell asleep before the crash.
The Colorado State Patrol says that there were 40 people on board the bus, including students from Greeley Central High School and adult chaperones, when it collided with a truck at Weld County Roads 22 and 49 just after 4 p.m. That's near Hudson.
According to investigators, the driver of the truck fell asleep while traveling southbound, crossed into oncoming traffic and sideswiped the school bus. The bus rolled one-and-a-quarter times.
Colton Zimbelman was working in a field nearby when the crash happened.
"I'd say I saw about 10 on stretchers, 20 were walking but a lot of them were holding arms and limping and all that," he told CBS4.
It is unclear the age range of those on the school bus. About 10-15 students were transported to the hospital with various levels of injuries including broken bones.
"We had four that were what we call code red... that's a significant injury with the potential to be much more severe that it appears on scene. So they were transported immediately," said Stephanie Cooke with the Platte Valley Fire Protection District.
Two adults and four children were taken to Platte Valley Medical Center where they were listed in fair and good condition. Others were taken to North Colorado Medical Center.
Six patients ranging in age from 15-18 years old were taken to Children's Hospital in Aurora and were in good and fair condition on Thursday night.
The group was headed home after a trip to Elitch Gardens in Denver.
The truck driver faces careless driving resulting in injury charges. His identity has not been released.
Copter4 flew over the crash scene where the school bus was on its side on the side of the road.
Witnesses say oil workers from a nearby Noble Energy site rushed to the scene to help the students.
"I saw a bunch of kids laying on the ground, the guys from Noble Energy helped them out, and I just saw thousands of ambulances pulling in and out of this place," said one witness.
