A dedicated, happy person who loved the work that he did. A great father and grandfather. This is how family and coworkers describe 55-year-old Stan Riley (pictured) of Kearns, Utah, who died Friday in a crash with a tractor-trailer and garbage truck.
His widow said Riley loved being a bus driver at the Jordan School District south of Salt Lake City and insisted on keeping the same bus route because he was dedicated to his students. She told the Herald he was also a “great father and grandfather,”.
A school district spokesperson said Riley was heading to his final run of the day to pick up high school students before the end of his shift. Police said he had just dropped off a group of elementary students when a semi-truck ran a red light and plowed into the empty bus. The bus then ricocheted into a garbage truck. Riley died at the scene. Neither of the other drivers suffered any injuries.
West Jordan police Sgt. Dan Roberts said the truck driver reported his brakes failed, and investigators found no skid marks at the scene. Officials are investigating the accident to determine whether the driver of the semi or its owner, a Kennecott-based mining company, will face charges.
As word spread Monday, the grief was palpable in the transportation department where Riley worked for 11 years.
“It’s terrible news for us today,” Transportation Director Herb Jensen told the local CBS station. “He loved the kids, and they loved him … He’s a guy that will be sorely missed.”
Jensen added that Riley’s joyful nature and sense of humor made everyone around him happy.
The grieving at Jordan School District was compounded by another tragedy the same day. Two boys were found dead at a local residence Friday, both victims of gunshot wounds. On Monday the district provided grief counseling for all of the students who knew Taylor Wheeler, 12, and Dayton Gessell, 15.
