Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Investigator Praises Good Samaritans at the Scene of Ohio Bus Crash

ETNA, Ohio (AP) — A federal investigator looking into an Ohio bus crash that tragically claimed the lives of three students, two parents, and a teacher with a high school band group, has praised the heroic actions of the “good Samaritans” who rushed to the scene of the highway accident.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy commended the numerous police and fire departments that swiftly responded to the scene on Tuesday on westbound Interstate 70 in Licking County, located about 26 miles (42 kilometers) east of Columbus. Among the first responders were some Gahanna officers who were en route to a training event but diverted to the accident site upon receiving the distressing news.

Homendy revealed that the safety board team visited the crash site for the first time on Wednesday to gain an overview of the incident and commence the search for any available evidence, including footage from cameras in the five vehicles involved in the collision. The team is expected to remain in the area for five to seven days, with a preliminary report anticipated to be released within the next few weeks, Homendy added.

During a press briefing, Homendy acknowledged the existence of “conflicting information” regarding the sequence of events leading up to the chain-reaction crash, which also involved an SUV and a semitruck. The Pioneer Trails charter bus was transporting students and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio, who were en route to perform at an educational conference.

Tragically, three passengers on the bus, which had a total of 54 students and chaperones onboard, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The deceased have been identified as John W. Mosely, 18, of Mineral City; Jeffery D. Worrell, 18, of Bolivar; and Katelyn N. Owens, 15, of Mineral City.

The educational conference, which spanned three days and was touted as “the second-largest education convention in the nation,” canceled its final day in the wake of the devastating crash. The event, which commenced on Sunday, offered professional development sessions for school district management teams and showcased an annual Student Achievement Fair featuring 100 booths displaying innovative school programs.

Addressing the community at a prayer vigil on Tuesday night, Tuscarawas Valley Superintendent Derek Varansky described the day as one of the darkest in the district’s history and the worst day of his life. He expressed the community’s desire to honor those who lost their lives and provide support to the surviving students who experienced the traumatic event. Varansky announced that classes would resume on Wednesday, acknowledging that it would not be a typical school day. The district arranged for counselors and support staff from various community organizations to be present at the schools to offer assistance.

All three occupants of another passenger vehicle involved in the crash, including a teacher and two parent chaperones, were also pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased have been identified as high school teacher Dave Kennat, 56, of Navarre; Kristy Gaynor, 39, of Zoar; and Shannon Wigfield, 45, of Bolivar.

Shannon Wigfield also served as an English language arts instructor at Buckeye Career Center, where she had been teaching for 24 years. The center paid tribute to her, stating that she would be remembered for her loving smile and perpetually positive attitude.

The driver of the other passenger vehicle involved in the crash was transported to a hospital. Among the drivers of the commercial vehicles, one was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, while the other was treated at the scene, according to the highway patrol. Two students from the bus remained hospitalized on Wednesday, with their injuries reported to be serious but not life-threatening, as confirmed by district officials.

Both sides of Interstate 70 were closed for several hours after the collision, resulting in significant traffic delays in the area. While the eastbound lanes reopened late Tuesday afternoon, the westbound lanes were reopened early Wednesday. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and state Transportation Department workers were present at the crash site on Wednesday, working on the westbound shoulder of the highway. The interstate remained open in both directions.

Tori Wilson, a sophomore at the school who was seated towards the rear of the bus at the time of the crash, recounted her harrowing experience to WBNS-TV. Wilson overheard someone mentioning a fire and the need to evacuate, but found herself trapped and struggling to escape. She described the chaotic scene, recounting how a fellow student was having a seizure and remained unresponsive. Wilson’s friend, who had offered her the inside seat by the window, was buried under the wreckage, leaving only her head visible.

Despite the bus being engulfed in flames, the junior high band director repeatedly re-entered the vehicle, heroically rescuing students and pulling them to safety, as recounted by Wilson. She further described the cries of pain from another student who was trapped, making it difficult for her to maneuver and escape. Eventually, Wilson managed to wriggle through a window and free herself from the wreckage.

This tragic collision marks the second recent fatal crash in the United States involving high school students on a charter bus. In September, a charter bus carrying high school students to band camp veered off a New York highway, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and multiple injuries.

In response to the ongoing concerns regarding school bus safety, Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine convened a School Bus Safety Working Group in August. The initiative was prompted by a minivan collision with a school bus in Clark County, which led to the tragic death of an 11-year-old Northwestern Local Schools student. The minivan driver has since been charged with vehicular homicide.

The School Bus Safety Working Group is set to meet next Thursday to discuss various aspects of school bus safety, including training and on-bus instruction. The meeting will also feature a panel of drivers and other industry professionals. The group’s final meeting is scheduled for December 1, with recommendations expected to be issued by the end of the year. While the group’s approach to addressing charter buses carrying students remains uncertain, Tuesday’s crash will undoubtedly be acknowledged during the meeting.

The Associated Press writers Ron Todt in Philadelphia and Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

.