Alleged Drunk Trucker Hits School Bus Transporting High School Team

November 16, 2022

A school bus transporting a Chicago high school hockey team was involved in a crash on Saturday night, when a semi-truck made a left turn at the intersection on U.S. 30, reported Wane 15.

According to police, the bus had 23 members of the St. Ignatius College Prep hockey team from Chicago, Illinois, on board along with two coaches and the bus driver, and the from Chicago, Illinois.

The bus was]in Culver, Indiana for a weekend hockey tournament. Police say, the team had dinner in Warsaw, Indiana, and was heading to a hotel at the time of the crash.

The article added that the ages of the student-athletes range between 14 and 17 years old with most being around 15. Three student-athletes were reportedly in critical condition after the semi hit the bus, while 13 others suffered injuries. Ten other passengers had no injuries.

Warsaw police officers were reportedly on their way to “intercept” the semi when they were notified it struck a school bus. Eyewitnesses said that before the bus could make it all the way through the intersection, the semi sped through the red light and hit the back end of the bus.

This caused the bus to spin nearly 180-degrees and rollover onto its side. A nearby business surveillance video caught the crash. However, the video has not been released due to the ongoing investigation.

Two of the critically injured student-athletes were taken to a hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The other critically injured student-athlete and other student-athletes injured were taken to a hospital in Warsaw.

The remainder of the players, coaches and the bus driver were taken to a Warsaw hospital via a Warsaw Community Schools bus, according to police. The students are now all reportedly listed in stable condition as of Sunday.

According to the police, a strong odor of alcohol was detected when they approached the driver of the semi, and the driver also slurred his speech. The semi-driver identified as 58-year-old Victor Santos of Brooklyn, New York, failed a field sobriety test.

Santos is currently charged with a felony operating while intoxicated, causing serious bodily injury.

As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, online court records had yet to show any formal charges filed against Santos. The crash remains under investigation.