An alleged drunk driver of a tractor trailer was arrested by police Saturday in northern Indiana after he allegedly ran a crimson mild and crashed into a faculty bus carrying an out-of-state highschool hockey staff, knocking it onto its aspect and leaving greater than a dozen folks on board with accidents.
Victor Santos, 58, from Brooklyn, New York, crashed the New Jersey-registered tractor trailer into the proper rear aspect of the college bus simply after 8 p.m. on Saturday, on the intersection of the U.S. 30 freeway and Heart Avenue, the place the bus was making a flip, officers mentioned.
After being hit, the bus flipped onto its aspect, ejecting at the very least one scholar, whereas Santos saved driving till he careened right into a ditch off the freeway an eighth of a mile from the crash website, police mentioned.
The bus was carrying a highschool hockey staff from St. Ignatius School Prep in Chicago, who have been visiting for a event within the city of Culver, about 32 miles west of Warsaw, and heading again to their resort from dinner on the time of the crash, police mentioned.
Sixteen of the 26 folks on board — which included 23 college students, two coaches and a bus driver — sustained accidents, authorities mentioned. Three youngsters have been initially labeled as having crucial accidents and despatched to native hospitals, in line with police.
As of Sunday afternoon, all 16 victims are in steady situation, in line with Brad Kellar, public data officer for the Warsaw Police Division.
On Sunday, the college posted a message to its Instagram web page thanking effectively wishers for his or her “ideas and prayers” for these concerned within the crash.
“Our neighborhood stands in assist of our JV hockey staff that was concerned in an accident after a journey contest final night time,” the submit learn.
The Chicago Blackhawks additionally launched a press release in assist of the staff following the crash.
“We ship our ideas and prayers to the Saint Ignatius School Prep’s hockey staff, their coaches and their households after the staff was concerned in a severe bus accident final night time. Please be a part of us in maintaining them in your ideas,” the NHL staff mentioned.
Witnesses and surveillance footage revealed that Santos “disregarded a crimson mild by a number of seconds earlier than placing the bus throughout its flip,” police mentioned.
The crash occurred simply two minutes after police acquired stories that the motive force was rushing, swerving into different lanes of site visitors and driving off the roadway, officers mentioned.
A information launch issued by police acknowledged that “officers had motive to suspect alcohol was an element on this collision” after chatting with Santos, who was slurring his phrases and smelled like alcohol.
Santos failed area sobriety assessments and refused to consent to a chemical take a look at, police mentioned. Authorities obtained a search warrant that allowed hospital workers to take a blood draw to be submitted for official testing.
Santos is being held on a 48-hour maintain by the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Lawyer’s Workplace for formal felony prices associated to working a car whereas intoxicated and inflicting severe bodily damage, police mentioned.
The Illinois bus driver consented to a blood draw, police mentioned.
The investigation is ongoing, Warsaw Police mentioned in a information launch, including that “further prices could also be added or enhanced primarily based on the result.”
