8 students injured in Ozaukee County school bus crash

Eight students were injured in a two-vehicle crash that caused a school bus to roll over Monday morning at a rural intersection in the town of Fredonia.

The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash shortly before 7:30 a.m. and found a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee with front-end damage and a school bus in a ditch on a county highway, according to a news release.

The sheriff’s office said the jeep went through an intersection and struck a school bus carrying 36 students from elementary to high school age. The bus then spun 180 degrees before it overturned on its passenger side in the ditch.

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The students were evacuated through the emergency exits, the sheriff’s office said.

The eight students who were injured suffered minor to serious injuries, but none were life threatening, law enforcement said. Injured students were transported to local hospitals and Children’s Wisconsin.

First responders are seen at the scene of a school bus crash in Ozaukee County on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. *Photo courtesy of the Sheboygan Night Scanner Facebook page*

Students who were not injured were picked up by their parents at the crash site, according to law enforcement. Some of those students were brought to local hospitals after they were picked up.

The bus driver, Mark Hall, 53, of West Bend, suffered minor injuries. The Jeep driver, Becka Stevenson, 32, of West Bend and passenger Luis Vargas, 33, of Random Lake, were also injured. They were all transported to a local hospital, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office said Stevenson will be cited for failure to yield at a stop sign. An additional investigation is still pending.

Students are seen after evacuating a school bus that rolled over from a collission with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. *Photo courtesy of the Sheboygan Night Scanner Facebook page*

In a Facebook post Monday morning, the Random Lake School District said all affected families had been contacted and it would update families as more information became available.

“If you are concerned about your child at school, please contact the school office,” the district said. “The school counselors will be available to support families and students.”

The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office said it’s working with the district to keep parents, students and staff updated.

“The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind drivers that it is their responsibility to be aware of the road and weather conditions, their surroundings, and make sure their attention is directed to operating in a safe manner,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.