RUSHVILLE, Ill. — Authorities have identified the five people killed in a fiery collision between a school bus and semitruck on a highway in rural Illinois, including a young brother and sister, another 3-year-old boy and both drivers.
The accident took place just before noon on Monday at the intersection of U.S. Route 24 and Parkville Road in Rushville, a town of about 3,000 people in Schuyler County.
Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 6 held a press conference Monday afternoon, saying all four people aboard the bus from Schuyler-Industry Schools — three children and the driver — as well as the driver of the semitruck were killed. The three children and the bus driver were the only individuals on the bus.
The county coroner identified the children as 5-year-old Maria Miller, 3-year-old Andrew Miller and 3-year-old Noah Driscoll, all from Rushville, state police said. Maria and Andrew Miller were sister and brother, the county coroner confirmed Tuesday.
The bus driver was identified as Angela Spiker, 57, of Rushville, and the truck driver as David Coufal, 72, who was from the nearby village of Browning.
ISP said the school bus was traveling eastbound on Illinois Route 24 when for unknown reasons the bus crossed over into the westbound lanes in front of the semi-truck. Both vehicles became engulfed in flames.
Sheriff Bill Redshaw said that at the time of the crash, the bus was taking the kids to school.
He told reporters Monday that the tragedy hit the small community hard.
"There's not really words at this time that can be said," Schuyler County Sheriff Bill Redshaw said. "Schuyler County is a small county, a small community. Rushville, Illinois, is a close-knit family. When you have a loss of life like this, it's devastating."
Schuyler-Industry Schools canceled classes Tuesday and Wednesday because of the crash.
"It is with a heavy heart that we announce our school community has lost both staff and students in the traffic incident involving one of our school buses this morning," the school district said in a statement. "Out of respect for everyone involved, no names or further information will be released at this time."
According to Schuyler County Coroner Terry Millslagle, the families of the five people who died have been contacted. Millslagle said the bodies are being transported to Springfield for autopsies to be conducted.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by a National Transportation Safety Board team and the state police, the Illinois agency announced.
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