School bus driver charged in rollover crash that injured 5 students: OPP (2024)

OXFORD COUNTY – The driver of a school bus that rolled over Tuesday morning near Woodstock, injuring five children including one who was pinned beneath the vehicle, is charged with careless driving causing bodily harm, police say.

The five children were taken to hospital — one by air ambulance — after the school bus crashed near the rural intersection of Cuthbert Road and Dodge Line, south of Woodstock and east of Ingersoll, at about 8 a.m., Ontario Provincial Police said. The bus ended up on its entry-door side in a field.

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One child was pinned under the bus, OPP Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said.

A 34-year-old Oxford County resident is charged under the Highway Traffic Act with careless driving causing bodily harm, Oxford OPP said in a release at about 8:30 p.m. The accused, who was not identified by police, is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Woodstock on April 18, police said.

There were no serious injuries in the crash, Oxford OPP said in a midday statement. The pinned child was flown to hospital in London, and the four others were taken to hospital in Woodstock.

The bus was carrying students to Woodstock Christian school.

School bus crashes: A rare, but frightening, reality on London-area roads

There were about 40 kids aboard the bus at the time, Sanchuk said in a video posted to social media. By 9 a.m. all the parents had been contacted, Sanchuk said.

Officials with the school — which has kids in junior kindergarten to Grade 8, its website said — declined comment. At about noon on Tuesday, an OPP cruiser was parked outside the school at 800 Juliana Dr. where a crying woman hugged a man before getting in the front seat of the police vehicle.

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Ages of the injured children weren’t immediately available.

Sanchuk added he wanted to thank the stranger who “came to the aid of all the children on the bus this morning” and helped them out of the vehicle. CTV London is reporting police say the person ran to the scene from a nearby farmhouse.

“We can’t thank you enough for everything you did,” Sanchuk said. “On behalf of all first responders, thank you.”

The bus driver suffered minor injuries, Sanchuk said.

Workers used machinery to remove the overturned bus, which appeared to have a broken front axle, missing front windshield and several shattered side windows.

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Woodstock Mayor Jerry Acchione expressed relief that none of the injuries was considered life-threatening. “My thoughts and prayers are with all the children and their families and those involved.”

The stunning crash prompted several messages of concern on social media.

“My heart goes out to those parents of the ones involved,” one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I wouldn’t want to get a phone call like that. Best of luck to those who are in hospital and hope there (are) no more injuries.”

Added another person: “I pray that all the students and (the) bus driver recover completely and as quickly as possible.”

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