A 19-year-old woman from Minnesota is facing dozens of charges in connection with school bus crash that sent 12 students to the hospital, reported CBS News.
The incident reportedly occurred on Sept. 12, when a school bus transporting 22 students to Cherry School in Iron, was hit by a vehicle that blew a stop sign at Townline Road and County Road 5. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 19-year-old Svea Snickers.
Snickers reportedly drove through intersection, hit the bus, and caused it to roll into a ditch. The driver of the bus, who was not identified, told local news reporters he knew immediately it would be a bad crash but did not have time to respond in any meaningful way to avoid the collision.
The bus driver, 12 students and Snickers were reportedly hospitalized amid the crash. Nine other students were injured but did not need to be hospitalized. The student injuries ranged from lacerations and abrasions to concussions, contusions, fractures and more.
Authorities confirmed that while searching Snickers’ phone, investigators found she had used it while driving about two minutes before officers responded to the crash and just seconds before a 911 call was initiated. Investigators also learned the car was reportedly going between 48 and 53 mph just before the crash and Sickers did not brake before impact.
As of Dec. 26, Snickers is reportedly charged with five felony counts of criminal vehicular operations, 17 gross misdemeanors count of the same and two misdemeanor traffic offenses. The investigation remains ongoing.
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