Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 31, 1990 TAG: 9005310431
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By NEAL THOMPSON NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
One of those pupils was 6-year-old Ashlee Harris, who attends kindergarten at Christiansburg Primary School.
In the waiting room of Montgomery Regional Hospital, she said she was "pretty scared" when she saw a car cut in front of her bus, which jumped a curb and slammed into a telephone pole in an attempt to avoid the car.
Linda Harris, Ashlee's mother, and other parents were notified by school officials and met their children in the waiting room.
"It gave us a bit of a scare. She had a bruise on her head, but she's OK," Linda Harris said.
Christiansburg police said 23 pupils were on the bus.
Hospital officials said none of the children was seriously injured. Most had minor cuts and bruises. They ranged in age from 5 to 12 years old and were on their way to either Christiansburg Primary School or Christiansburg Elementary School.
The driver of the car, Trinna Fogg, 20, of Cheverly Road in Christiansburg, was in stable condition with fractures and a concussion.
Police at the scene of the 8 a.m. wreck said it appeared Fogg was turning left off Roanoke Street onto Depot Street and cut into the path of the bus, which was traveling the opposite direction on Roanoke Street.
The bus driver, Anna McCrickard, tried swerving to avoid the car but slammed into its left side, police said. The bus ran over a curb on the right side of the road and hit a telephone pole, breaking it into three pieces.
No charges had been placed against either driver, but the wreck was still under investigation, Sgt. Frank Graves said.
Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Harold Dodge said shortly after the wreck that McCrickard should be commended for doing her best to avoid the crash.
McCrickard was not injured, but was "very shook up," Dodge said. "She's just upset about the children."
The scene at the hospital was hectic, with parents looking for their children and Dodge and other school officials mingling among them to make sure everyone was all right.
Sally Bohland, a counselor at Christiansburg High School, was called out to talk with and comfort the bus driver and some of the students.
"They all seem fine, as you can see," Bohland said, pointing to a few of the pupils running around the waiting room and climbing over chairs.
Dodge said the 1982 bus received at least $5,000 damage and would probably be scrapped.
Fogg's car was a total loss.
by CNB