Six Dead in Ohio Highway Crash Involving Charter Bus Filled with High School Students

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

ETNA, Ohio (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has dispatched a team to investigate a tragic highway crash in Ohio that claimed the lives of six people and left 18 others injured. The crash involved a charter bus carrying high school students and occurred on westbound Interstate 70 in Licking County, approximately 26 miles (42 kilometers) east of Columbus.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy stated that the team will be on-site for the next five to seven days, collecting evidence such as camera footage from the five vehicles involved. Homendy also mentioned that there is conflicting information regarding the sequence of events leading up to the crash, which also included an SUV and a semitruck.

The charter bus, operated by Pioneer Trails, was transporting students and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio. Three passengers on the bus, identified as John W. Mosely, 18, Jeffery D. Worrell, 18, and Katelyn N. Owens, 15, were pronounced dead at the scene. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that the bus was carrying a total of 54 students and chaperones.

The students and chaperones were en route to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus. However, the conference canceled its final day upon learning of the crash. The event, which is known as the second-largest education convention in the nation, offered professional development sessions for school district management teams and showcased innovative school programs.

Tuscarawas Valley Superintendent Derek Varansky expressed his grief and called Tuesday one of the darkest days in the district’s history. He emphasized the need to honor the deceased and provide support to the surviving students who experienced this traumatic event. Despite the tragedy, classes in the district were held the following day to ensure that no students were left alone at home. Additional counselors and support staff from various community organizations were present to assist those in need.

In addition to the three fatalities on the bus, three occupants of another vehicle involved in the crash also lost their lives. The victims were identified as high school teacher Dave Kennat, 56, Kristy Gaynor, 39, and Shannon Wigfield, 45. Wigfield was also a teacher at Buckeye Career Center and had been with the institution for 24 years. She was remembered as a beloved English Language Arts instructor with a positive attitude.

The driver of the other passenger vehicle was hospitalized, while the drivers of the commercial vehicles sustained minor injuries. Two students remained in the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The collision resulted in the temporary closure of both sides of Interstate 70, causing significant traffic delays in the area. However, as of Wednesday morning, all lanes had been reopened. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and state Transportation Department workers were present at the crash site to facilitate the ongoing investigation.

Survivor Tori Wilson, a sophomore at Tuscarawas Valley Local School District, recounted her harrowing experience. She was trapped inside the bus and heard someone mention a fire. Despite her efforts to escape, she was unable to move due to a fellow student having a seizure on top of her. Wilson also mentioned that the junior high band director repeatedly returned to the burning bus, rescuing students.

Tragically, this incident marks the second fatal crash involving high school students on a charter bus in recent months. In September, a charter bus carrying students to band camp veered off a New York highway, resulting in two deaths and several injuries.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine established a School Bus Safety Working Group in August following a fatal accident involving a school bus in Clark County. The group is scheduled to meet next week to discuss training and on-bus instruction, among other topics. While it remains uncertain how charter buses carrying students will be addressed in the final report, the crash in Licking County will be acknowledged during the meeting.

The NTSB’s investigation will provide valuable insights into the circumstances surrounding the crash, helping to prevent similar incidents in the future..