RACINE, Wis. — Several agencies, including Flight for Life, responded to a crash involving a Racine Transit bus and a school bus in Racine on Wednesday.
The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. near Shoop and Goold streets, not too far from Horlick High School.
WATCH: Ring camera captured the moment a school bus and a city bus collided in Racine (Credit: Miranda Bratten)
Juan Carlos Salinas was one of the neighbors to witness the aftermath and quickly stepped in to help.
"I just got home from work and I parked my truck and then I heard the 'pow!'" Salinas said. "I ran over and I shut off the [school] bus. It was still running so I shut it off and I helped the bus driver out."
Salinas says the driver of the city bus was trapped in her seat behind the mangled front end of the vehicle.
Family members of that driver say she suffered major injuries to her leg.
"She's doing fine but her leg is not," said the driver's aunt, Tekika High Mcgee. "She's in bad shape right now."
McGee says her niece was transported to Froedert to undergo surgery for those injuries.
The Racine Police Department says a Flight for Life helicopter landed at Horlick Field to transport one patient.
Kristi Wilcox with the Racine Police Department said the bus driver and driver assistant were the only two on the school bus. The school bus is used for special needs students and they just dropped off their last student prior to the crash.
The driver is a 61-year-old man who has worked by First Student bus company for four years. The second person, the aide, was a 26-year-old woman with two years of employment with the company.
As for the city bus, there were about seven to eight people aboard. The city's bus company, RYDE, issued the following statement: "A RYDE Racine Route 5 bus heading southbound to the Transit Center was involved in a collision. First and foremost, we are thinking about our driver and others hurt in the collision as they have been transported to the hospital to address their injuries. We are working with the Racine Police Department as they are investigating the incident."
Three of the six people on the bus had to be taken to local hospitals, along with the driver. The driver is a 41-year-old woman who has worked for Ryde Racine since 2019.
It is unclear what caused the crash, however, Wilcox said a "tree may be to blame." A family member of the injured city bus driver told TMJ4 News they believe the school bus driver drove through a stop sign that was covered by a tree branch. TMJ4 News is working to confirm that information.
Cassandra Casiano says the school bus crashed into her home's front lawn. She says she found out about the crash on Facebook before seeing it for herself.
"I said, 'Oh that is kinda close to my house, but it's not my house,'" Casiano said. "I got off work and someone texted me, 'Is there a bus on your yard because the picture looks familiar.'"
Casiano said she and her children are safe and fortunately, there is no damage to her home.
"Probably just the front yard and maybe some concrete," she said on the possible damages. "I just thank God we weren't home and the kids didn't have to see or hear it right when it happened. I'm just glad no one was severely hurt."
Read the full press release from Racine Police below.
On Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at approximately 3:24pm officers responded to the intersection of Goold St. and Shoop St. regarding an accident involving a City Bus and a School Bus.
There were nine people involved in the accident. Two people had to be extricated by the Racine Fire Department. Six of the nine people were transported to a local hospital for treatment. The two extricated parties were transported locally to an area hospital and were eventually transported to Milwaukee for further treatment with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
The school bus was occupied by the driver and the driver’s aide/monitor. There were no students on the bus. The driver of the school bus is a 61 year old male who has been employed by First Student bus company for four years. The aide is a 26 year old female and has been employed by Frist Student for two years. Both the driver and the aide were among the six that were transported.
The city bus, Ryde Racine, was carrying six passengers and the driver. Three passengers and the driver were among those transported. The driver is a 41 year old female who has been employed with Ryde Racine since 2019.
Racine Police traffic investigators are interested in any additional information that anyone may have about this incident. Any witnesses, or citizens with information, are urged to call the Racine Police Department Investigations Unit at (262) 635-7756.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers by phone at (262) 636-9330, or through the Crime Stoppers app by using the p3 app.
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