Three people were tragically killed on Saturday, July 22, after a Miller Transportation bus collided with a minivan just north of Bloomington, Indiana.
A total of five vehicles were involved in the chain-reaction crash, which occurred around 1:45 p.m. along Business 37 North in Monroe County. The bus was operating a Greyhound partnership route between Chicago, IL., and Louisville, KY., when it collided with a Chrysler Town & Country minivan that had come to a stop in a construction zone.
The force of the crash sent the minivan careening into the back of a Chrysler Sebring, which was then pushed into a Jeep Wrangler SUV. A Mini Cooper-S was forced off the road by the SUV.
Three adults traveling in the minivan were pronounced dead at the scene. They have been identified as Rose Ann Kelly-Pettus, 54, her daughter, Shante Pettus Lewis, 30, and Lewis’ husband, Orlando Lewis Jr., 30, all of Greenville, Indiana.
The Lewis’ 2-year old daughter was taken to the hospital with chest injuries, but was expected to survive. Another driver was transported to the hospital complaining of head injuries.
None of the 16 passengers aboard the Miller Transportation bus were injured.
Bus Driver Distracted by Spilled Ice May Have Been Traveling at High Rate of Speed
While the cause of the Indiana bus crash is still under investigations, officials have indicated that speed may have been involved.
“Two witnesses have told our investigators that they felt in their view before the crash that the bus was speeding,” Monroe County Sheriff Brad Swain said on Saturday.
The speed limit along that stretch of Business Route 40 is normally 45 mph. However, signs list the construction zone limit as 30.
According to WISHTV, the Miller Transportation driver told a deputy responding to the scene that he had been looking down just prior to the collision after spilling ice at his feet. Though he saw the minivan once he looked up, the driver was unable to avoid hitting it.
He also said that he had not seen signs for lane restrictions that had been placed in the construction zone.
Investigators are still awaiting results from blood tests on the driver.
“We are greatly saddened by this loss of life and offer our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the families and all those impacted by this accident,” Miller Transportation said in a statement. “We pledge our assistance in cooperating with local authorities in the investigation.”
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