Avon school bus crashes head-on with passenger vehicle on Dan Jones Road; person critically injured

AVON — The driver of a passenger vehicle was critically injured in a head-on crash with an Avon Community School Corporation school bus that had over 30 elementary-school-age children aboard Wednesday afternoon, officials say.

It happened at about 4 p.m. on Dan Jones Road south of County Road 200 South after the bus departed from Cedar Elementary School and was traveling southbound, according to Avon police and the school district.

One or two students aboard the bus were checked for minor injuries and were later cleared. None suffered significant injuries, police said.

However, both the driver and a passenger of the passenger vehicle were transported to two separate hospitals for their injuries, said Washington Township/Avon Fire Department Batallion Chief Jerry Bessler.

A helicopter was called for the driver, who needed to be extricated from their vehicle, but that person was removed before the helicopter arrived and then transported, Bessler said.

Police said the bus driver was uninjured but shaken by the event.

Roads in the area were reopened by 5 p.m., Bessler said.

Parents were notified of the crash, and a meeting point was established at Avon High School for them to pick up their children, police said.

All students were evaluated for possible injuries and were picked up at the high school by their parents or caregivers, said Avon Community School Corporation Communications Coordinator Kevin Carr.

"Administrators and counselors are onsite at Avon High School and are available to assist students, their families, and school staff," Carr said.

Police say the bus was equipped with a camera system they believe may have captured exactly what happened.

"Our officers and investigators have absolutely no reason to believe that this accident was the result of impaired or aggressive driving by either vehicle/driver," the Avon Police Department said in a statement at about 7:16 p.m. Wednesday.

At this time, the specific circumstances of the crash aren't known.

An investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story.