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Bus-Truck Collision Near Imperial Sends 11 Children To The Hospital, But No Deaths

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     Authorities in Chase County in southwest Nebraska say a school bus carrying 11 children collided with a semi Tuesday, sending all those on the bus and in the truck to Chase County Hospital in Imperial.

     The Chase County Sheriff’s Office says the students ranged in age from 6 to 15. Most were treated at the Imperial hospital, but 3 with more-serious injuries went to regional trauma centers.

    The Sheriff’s Office says the accident occured on Link 15 between Imperial and Champion while the bus was taking students home after school.

    The bus driver attempted to make a left-hand turn, but collided with the semi pulling a fully-loaded grain trailer. The impact on the rear passenger side caused the bus to rotate 90 degrees and overturn, ending on the driver’s side.

     The semi continued north a short distance before leaving the roadway, crossing a ditch, and coming to rest in a field.

      The identities of the students have not been released, but the bus driver was 39-year old Keith Cranwell of Champion while the truck driver was 20-year-old Chance Lotspeich of Venango.

     The Chase County Sheriff’s Office is still in the preliminary stage of the investigation and has asked the Nebraska State Patrol to help with the inspection of both the bus and semi and to reconstruct the accident.