Ohio bus crash cause probed after six killed and 18 injured: Updates

The bus, carrying students from the Tuscarawas Valley High School, crashed on an Ohio highway just east of Columbus

Smoke rises from wreckage of Ohio bus crash that killed four, injured 15

Investigators have said that they have gathered “conflicting information” about the cause of a deadly crash involving a school bus travelling along a highway in Ohio on Tuesday.

Three Tuscarawas Valley High School students – Katelyn Owens, 15, Jeffery Worrell, 18, and John Mosely, 18 – died along with a high school teacher and two parent chaperones – Dave Kennat, 56, Kristy Gaynor, 39, and Shannon Wigfield, 45 – when five vehicles were involved in a pile-up on the I-70.

Another 20 students were transported to the hospital following the incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation to determine how the crash unfolded.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a press conference on Wednesday that “conflicting information” had come to light about the cause.

She also warned that “we have a public health crisis on our roads”. “We need all hands on deck,” she said.

The bus was carrying 57 band students from Tuscarawas Valley Schools, located approximately 120 miles northeast of Columbus and around 43 miles south of Akron, when tragedy struck.

Key points

• Three dead and 15 injured in Ohio bus crash involving high schoolers
• Prayer vigil held at Tuscarawas Valley High School
• Three students among the six dead following Ohio bus crash
• All six victims of Ohio bus crash identified

[16 November 2023 09:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Who are the victims?

Three teenagers – Katelyn Owens, 15, Jeffery Worrell, 18, and John Mosely, 18 – were killed in the crash, as well as high school teacher Dave Kennat, 56, and parent chaperones Kristy Gaynor, 39, and Shannon Wigfield, 45, who were travelling in a vehicle behind the bus.

All of the individuals killed were pronounced deceased at the scene.

Some 20 other students were transported to the hospital following the crash, 18 of whom have now been released with non-life-threatening injuries.

Two others remain hospitalised with serious but non life-threatening injuries.

The incident was classified as a “mass casualty” event, The Columbus Dispatch reported, meaning that 10 or more people had been injured and needed emergency services to transfer them to local facilities for treatment.

At least 34 students were taken to the Etna United Methodist Church after the incident, where officials set up a reunification center for those not injured.

Don Hawkins, regional communications manager for the Red Cross, said the nonprofit fufilled a request for 30 units of blood from the Mount Carmel Health System, according to local reports.

[16 November 2023 10:00 · Graig Graziosi]

NTSB provides update on fatal bus crash that killed six outside Columbus

Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board was in Columbus Wednesday to provide an update on the agency’s investigation into the fatal bus crash that killed six on Tuesday, including three high school band students.

Ms Homendy first offered her condolences to the families of the victims and pledged that the NTSB would work to ensure a tragedy like Tuesday’s would not occur again.

“We cant imagine what you’ve gone through since this crash and what challenges lie ahead for you, just know the NTSB will be thinking of you and working diligently on this investigation and after to implement our recommendations to prevent something like this from occurring again,” she said.

She said the agency brought 16 personnel, including 9 investigators, to examine the scene. Ms Homendy said the investigation was likely to take between 12-18 months, but noted action would be taken prior to that to help prevent future crashes.

Investigators began arriving at the scene on Tuesday around 10pm and continued to arrived on Wednesday morning.

Ms Homendy said “urgent safety recommendations” may be made before the end of the investigation.

[16 November 2023 11:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Temporary memorial is taking form near Tusky Valley high school

A temporary memorial for the victims of the bus crash on Tuesday that left three Tusky Valley high school students, and three adults dead has been set up outside the high school in northeast Ohio.

Photos of each of the victims along with candles and a growing number of flowers have been left on a black-clothed table near the school.

[16 November 2023 12:00 · Graig Graziosi]

NTSB chair says there is a ‘public health crisis’ on our roads, shares frustration over lack of safety recommendation implementation

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said there is a “public health crisis” on US roads, and noted that 43,000 people die while driving every year.

“We have a public health crisis on our roads, we need all hands on deck here, we need to take action to save lives. We’ve made recommendations over the years and have given roadmaps to entities that haven’t been implemented. Thats the key, implementing the recommendations,” she said. “If I sound frustrated, it’s because I am.”

She said while she was at the site of the crash she could not help but think of the families affected by the tragedy, noting that she had a 15-year-old daughter. Katelyn Owens, one of the teens who died in the crash, was 15-years-old.

“You can’t not think about the children that were involved, their families, the concern parents at home may have had, this was really tragic, this was really serious crash,” she said.

[16 November 2023 13:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Fatal bus crash may be have been caused by another crash on I-70

The fatal bus crash that left three high school band students and three adults dead may have been caused by traffic slowdowns related to another crash on I-70.

Another crash occurred on I-70 early on Tuesday. Slowdowns resulting from that crash appears to have caused the charter bus carrying the students to slow down as it was approach the affected stretch of highway.

At some point a semi-truck barrelled into the back of the charter bus, and caused a fire. Three other vehicles were also involved in the accident.

The NTSB arrived at the scene Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning and will provide more information on the crash on Wednesday afternoon.

[16 November 2023 14:00 · Graig Graziosi]

Photos: The victims in Tuesday’s fatal bus accident

Top (L-R): Dave Kennat, Shannon Wigfield, and Kristy Gaynor. Bottom (L-R): John W. Mosely, Jeffery D. Worrell, and Katelyn N. Owens (Via Canton Repository)

[16 November 2023 15:00 · Megan Sheets]

When will we know cause of crash?

State and federal investigators are currently working to determine the cause of the interstate crash that killed six people and injured 18.

At a press conference on Wednesday, NTSB chairperson Jennifer Homendy said “conflicting information” has been provided regarding the cause so far.

Ms Homendy said it could be two or three weeks before a preliminary report is finished - while the final report could take at least a year.

[16 November 2023 16:06 · Megan Sheets]

Drivers involved in crash identified

The Ohio State Highway Patrol has revealed the names of multiple drivers involved in Tuesday’s crash.

The collision involved a bus and a semi truck, as well as a commercial vehicle, a passenger vehicle and SUV.

The semi driver was identified as 60-year-old Jacob McDonald, while the commercial vehicle was driven by 37-year-old Brandon Marchal.

The passenger vehicle driver, 75-year-old Robert Wolverton, was injured and taken to hospital.

The bus driver was 65-year-old Donald Wagler.

The SUV driver was not identified in the police report.