Ephrata bus driver allegedly failed to yield in crash
Four children were trnasported to local hospitals with minor injuries after a passenger car collided with a school bus near Ephrata.
EPHRATA - A bus driver for the Ephrata School District allegedly failed to yield when bringing home a bus load of students Wednesday afternoon and caused a collision with a car.
Bus driver Antonio Hernandez de Lara, 39, was attempting to cross state Route 282 from Airport Road to Road A Northwest when a passenger car struck the right side of the bus directly behind the right front tires, according to a State Patrol report released Thursday. The other vehicle was a 1990 Toyota Corolla. The driver of the vehicle, 44-year-old Vladimir I. Rudnitsky was transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake with minor injuries. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
Eleven people were injured including ten children.
The State Patrol determined the bus driver failed to yield the right of way when crossing the intersection. No charges have been filed at this time.
Jerry Simon, superintendent for the Ephrata School District Board of Directors, released a statement after the collision.
"Our biggest concern is always for the safety of our students," Simon stated. "As far as we know there were no serious injuries and for that we are very grateful."
Simon thanked the emergency providers for handling the incident and getting the students treated. The school district will follow standard policies and procedures regarding the incident.
Four children injured were transported to area hospitals with minor injuries. The remaining injured children were treated on scene for minor injuries and released to parents. State patrol confirmed 25 children were on the bus at the time of the collision.