No injuries as car slams into Dexter school bus

Noreen Hyslop photo No one was injured when a car rammed into the rear of a Dexter school bus as the bus was stopped Thursday afternoon with its lights still flashing. One student had been let off of the bus at the regular stop, but was at a safe distance from the bus when it was hit.

The car, driven by 20-year-old Cherie Swirple of Essex, sustained major damage in the wreck. No one was ticketed at the scene.

According to Kent Polsgrove, the district's director of transportation, there were 54 students on Bus No. 4 when the accident occurred. The bus was driven by 61-year-old Robert Blackler of Dexter.

"The bus had just unloaded one student when the accident took place," Polsgrove said, and that student was just reaching his home when the bus was struck in the rear, so there were no students in the immediate area outside of the bus."

Polsgrove also reported that the flashing lights that are utilized whenever the bus is unloading passengers, were still flashing when the bus was struck from behind.

Following district procedure, all of the students disembarked from the bus and were held on the parking lot of a nearby business while police investigated the accident.

School personnel, including Superintendent Dr. Ken Jackson, along with Polsgrove, arrived at the scene of the accident within moments and began to not only account for each student, but to check on the welfare of each of the children. They were assisted by Dexter Police officers, along with personnel on location from the Stoddard County Ambulance District. Authorities found no signs of injury to any of the children or the driver, Polsgrove said.

As a precautionary follow-up, however, all students will be checked at the various schools' nursing clinic Friday morning.

"It's a measure we take," says Polsgrove, "to insure the safety of our students."

Though visibly shaken at the scene of the accident, Swirple reportedly had no injuries, even though the vehicle which she was driving sustained major damage.

About 35 minutes was spent at the scene as officers and school administrators assessed the students and accounted for all students who were eventually allowed to leave with their parents who received word of the accident and arrived on the scene.