Six hurt when car, school bus collide

Article by: Tim Harlow, Terry Collins and David Chanen , Star Tribune
Updated: October 10, 2007 - 11:51 PM

Three children and three adults were taken to a hospital with what were called "very minor" injuries.

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A small bus carrying about a dozen preschool children was hit by a car that ran a red light, setting off a chain reaction of collisions in north Minneapolis that injured several people, police and witnesses said.

The bus, operated by Parents in Community Action, was transporting 3- and 4-year-olds to the Donald M. Fraser Early Childhood Family Development Center at 700 Humboldt Av. N. when it was hit by a vehicle shortly before 9 a.m. at W. Broadway and Fremont Avenue N., police said.

Three children and three adults, including the bus driver, were taken to North Memorial Medical Center, police said. A hospital official described the injuries as "very minor."

Police said that the bus had seat belts and that the kids were wearing them.

According to police, an Oldsmobile traveling west on W. Broadway ran a red light and hit the bus, which was going south on Fremont. The bus then collided with two other vehicles, police said.

The Rev. Arrington Richardson, a pastor at Shiloh Temple, witnessed the crash and aided the victims.

"Smoke was flying and steam was steaming and liquid was coming out of the bus, and I thought this thing was going to go," said Arrington, who saw the accident from the window of his church. "Kids were screaming and crying."

Richardson said that "everything was chaotic ... all I was thinking was to get the kids out as quickly as possible."

Joyce Moore, an elder at Shiloh Temple, said that a woman in the Oldsmobile "kept saying 'I'm not going to make it.'" Moore said that she prayed with the woman and comforted her until paramedics arrived. "This is the third accident on the corner in the past month," Moore said. "I'm concerned about these accidents. I've been praying a lot."

Parents In Community Action is a private, nonprofit agency that operates Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Hennepin County. Founded in 1969 by Head Start parents, the agency serves about 2,500 children and families.

harlow@startribune.com • 612-673-7768 tcollins@startribune.com • 612-673-1790 dchanen@startribune.com • 612-673-4465