By Robert Medley
The Oklahoman
WESTERN HEIGHTS, Okla. — A Western Heights school bus was rear-ended Wednesday by a small pickup driven by a teaching assistant, causing several minor injuries, said police Master Sgt. Gary Knight.
The crash happened about 8 a.m. at SW 44 and Council Road and involved a bus from Western Heights Middle School, Knight said.
Six middle school students were taken to hospitals by ambulances and two students were taken to hospitals by their parents for treatment of minor injuries, said Joe Kitchens, Western Heights superintendent.
Lara O’Leary, Emergency Medical Services Authority spokeswoman, said all the patients were in good condition.
The bus driver was taken by ambulance to a hospital, and the bus monitor, an adult who rides and watches students on the bus, went to a hospital in his own vehicle, Kitchens said. Both suffered minor injuries, Kitchens said.
The bus was northbound on Council Road and stopped at a stop sign at SW 44 in the left-turn lane, where it was rear-ended.
“The bus itself did its job, which is protecting the kids,” Kitchens said.
There were 50 middle school students on the bus, he said. All students were allowed to call their parents about the accident. The bus was headed to the school when the crash occurred, Kitchens said.
Kitchens said the bus monitor and the students who were injured were riding at the rear of the bus.
The driver of the pickup works as a classroom teaching assistant in the middle school. She was not injured.
Knight said the pickup driver, whose name was not available, was cited by an officer at the scene.
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