Harrisburg coach killed in school bus crash; four students sustain minor injuries
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A Harrisburg Public Schools teacher and coach is dead after a
pickup truck hit the bus he was driving head-on Thursday afternoon on
Route F in northern Boone County.
The crash happened at about 2:30 p.m. just west of the intersection with North Everett Carr Road when a westbound four-doorDodge Ram pickup
truck crossed the center line and hit the bus, Boone County Fire
Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp said. The bus was
taking five girls, three middle school students and two high school
students, on the Harrisburg track team to a cross-country meet in
Moberly when the crash happened, Blomenkamp said. Both the bus and the
pickup were lying on their sides just south of the road after the crash.
Harrisburg Superintendent Steve Combs said in an emailed statement that the crash killed Brian Simpson. Simpson was a history teacher and coached the district’s baseball, cross-country and quiz bowl teams.
“School will not be in session” Friday “as we will work together to support the Simpson family, as well as the needs of our students and staff,” Combs said in the statement. “We will have additional counselors at the schools tomorrow who will be available to support any student or staff member as needed. We will also continue to provide counseling next week.”
Counselors also will be on hand next week, Combs said. The school district’s website said parent-teacher conferences set for Monday will be rescheduled.
Four girls escaped the bus through the rear door and the escape hatch on top of the bus, Blomenkamp said, and one was pulled out by a firefighter while the bus was on fire. Four were taken to a hospital with minor to moderate injuries. The driver of the Ram was taken by helicopter with serious injuries to University Hospital after firefighters cut off the roof of the truck to get him out.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. The name, age and condition ofthe truck driver were not immediately released.
Gary Anderson, who lives just west of the crash site, said he was getting out of his car after work when he heard a sound he thought was an object that had fallen inside his home. He went into his house and emerged a short time later to see bystanders and first responders on the road. Anderson said he saw firefighters pull a conscious, young man with a bloodied head from the pickup truck, and firefighters were asking the man if his leg felt better. Many bystanders stopped to help before the fire department arrived, Blomenkamp said.
Blomenkamp said it didn’t appear the Ram braked before the crash, but the cause of the crash was not immediately known. The crash caused a small fire in the bus’engine block , but firefighters were able to extinguish it quickly.
plambdin@columbiatribune.com
573-815-1726
The crash happened at about 2:30 p.m. just west of the intersection with North Everett Carr Road when a westbound four-door
Harrisburg Superintendent Steve Combs said in an emailed statement that the crash killed Brian Simpson. Simpson was a history teacher and coached the district’s baseball, cross-country and quiz bowl teams.
“School will not be in session” Friday “as we will work together to support the Simpson family, as well as the needs of our students and staff,” Combs said in the statement. “We will have additional counselors at the schools tomorrow who will be available to support any student or staff member as needed. We will also continue to provide counseling next week.”
Counselors also will be on hand next week, Combs said. The school district’s website said parent-teacher conferences set for Monday will be rescheduled.
Four girls escaped the bus through the rear door and the escape hatch on top of the bus, Blomenkamp said, and one was pulled out by a firefighter while the bus was on fire. Four were taken to a hospital with minor to moderate injuries. The driver of the Ram was taken by helicopter with serious injuries to University Hospital after firefighters cut off the roof of the truck to get him out.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. The name, age and condition of
Gary Anderson, who lives just west of the crash site, said he was getting out of his car after work when he heard a sound he thought was an object that had fallen inside his home. He went into his house and emerged a short time later to see bystanders and first responders on the road. Anderson said he saw firefighters pull a conscious, young man with a bloodied head from the pickup truck, and firefighters were asking the man if his leg felt better. Many bystanders stopped to help before the fire department arrived, Blomenkamp said.
Blomenkamp said it didn’t appear the Ram braked before the crash, but the cause of the crash was not immediately known. The crash caused a small fire in the bus’
plambdin@columbiatribune.com
573-815-1726
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