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Sixteen were injured - three very critically originally - when a semi-tractor-trailer crashed with an Illinois school bus Saturday night on U.S. 30 in Warsaw.
As of late Sunday morning, Lutheran Hospital and Parkview Regional Medical Center reported all students were listed in stable condition, according to a news release from Warsaw Police Department.
Ten others were not injured.
At approximately 8:06 p.m., Central Dispatch notified patrol officers of reports of a tractor-trailer with New Jersey registration swerving into other lanes and driving at excessive speed. The semi was reportedly driving off the roadway as it was entering the Warsaw city limits westbound on U.S. 30.
Two minutes later, as officers were on their way to intercept, they were advised that the suspect semi had just struck a school bus at the intersection of U.S. 30 and Center Street and the bus was on its side, the release states. Multiple first responders converged on the intersection as it was quickly determined to have multiple injuries to youth. The semi driver continued west and came to a stop driving off the roadway into the ditch approximately, an eighth of a mile from the intersection.
Based on investigation and interviews with eyewitnesses, the release states, the westbound semi disregarded the traffic light by several seconds as the bus was making a left turn with a green arrow indicated for the bus driver.
It is believed at least one of the juveniles was ejected from the bus as it made a left or northbound turn onto Center Street from the eastbound left turn lane, the release states. The semi hit the bus in the right rear. Officers and other emergency personnel began attending to multiple injuries from critical to minor.
Upon contacting the semi driver, officers had reason to suspect alcohol was a factor in this collision. They detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person and in the cab of the semi, as well as slurred speech. Warsaw officers began an OWI (operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated) investigation. After failing standardized field sobriety tests, the driver was asked to consent to a chemical test but refused. A search warrant was applied for and granted, allowing officers to have hospital staff take a blood draw, which will be submitted for official testing. The suspect, Victor Santos, 58, of Brooklyn, N.Y., is currently being held on a 48-hour hold put in place by the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for formal charges pertaining to operating while intoxicated, causing serious bodily injury, a Level 5 felony.
His Kosciusko County Jail booking information also listed a preliminary bond of $10,250 for Santos and an additional charge of refusal to submit to chemical testing.
Investigators found that the bus load of youth were in town to spend the night for a weekend hockey tournament taking place in Culver. After having dinner in Warsaw, they headed to a local hotel. The hockey team is from Saint Ignatius College Prep out of Chicago.
Two critically injured youth were immediately taken by ambulance to Fort Wayne Lutheran. Additional injured youth were taken by ambulance to Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital. The remainder of the players, coaches and bus driver were taken by a Warsaw Community Schools bus and went to Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital. Warsaw officers were assigned to the hospital to assist with triage and notification of family for the minors, the release states.
In all, there were 23 students, two adult coaches and the bus driver on the Illinois school bus. As of Sunday morning, the WPD has accounted for 16 injuries, three being very critical, and 10 considered with no injuries or sign offs at the local hospital. Ages of the students range between 14 and 17 years old, with most children 15 years of age. All family members have been notified of this accident. The bus driver, in cooperation with investigators, consented to a blood draw due to the seriousness of this collision.
This is still an active investigation and additional charges may be added or enhanced based on the outcome, according to the WPD release.
Santos, was operating a truck and trailer out of the state of New Jersey.
Warsaw Police were assisted by Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, The Kosciusko County FACT investigators, Indiana State Police, Winona Lake Police, Mentone Police, Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire, North Webster Fire and EMS, Lutheran EMS, and Parkview Hospital EMS, and Warsaw Community Schools, as well as the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Crouse Towing assisted with recovery of both vehicles and clean up on scene.
