WEST UNITY – The Defiance Post of the Highway Patrol is currently investigating a two vehicle injury crash which involved a Mill-Creek West Unity Local school bus. The crash occurred at 7:25 A.M. this morning, April 21, 2014, on US20A, 0.2 miles east of milepost 9. A 2009 Blue Bird bus, being driven by Deborah Connolly, age 62, of West Unity, Ohio, was stopped with red flashing lights and stop sign activated, to pick up a student on US20A. A 2004 Ford Taurus, being driven by David Whitman, age 61, of Montpelier, Ohio, was eastbound on US20A. Mr. Whitman failed to see the stopped school bus and attempted to avoid a collision with it by driving off of the roadway. Mr. Whitman’s vehicle struck the right rear of the school bus. Debris from Mr. Whitman’s vehicle struck and injured a student that was waiting to load onto the bus at the time of the crash. There were 20 students on the bus at the time of the crash and three of them claimed injuries. All students were treated at the Mill-Creek West Unity School by the Williams County EMS; none were transported. Safety belts were in use by the drivers of both vehicles. Mr. Whitman was cited for Assured Cleared Distance Accident and a stopped school bus violation. Assisting at the scene were the William’s County Sheriff’s Department, Williams County EMS, West Unity Police Department, and the West Unity/Brady Township Fire Department. Superintendent Larry Long reports that all passengers on the bus are fine and that the student injured by the debris received minor injuries.
