Pedestrian killed in Tippecanoe County school bus crash

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. — A pedestrian was killed in a school bus crash in Tippecanoe County on Monday afternoon.

According to a press release, Indiana State Police were called to a portion of State Road 43 that is located near County Road 600 North around 1:30 p.m. to investigate a crash. When police arrived at the scene, they found a Tippecanoe School Corporation bus that had been involved in a crash.

After conducting an investigation, troopers determined a pedestrian had attempted to cross State Road 43 near Speedway and Phillips 66 gas stations. While the individual was attempting to cross the road, a school bus operator that was driving northbound struck the pedestrian.

Personnel with the Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene. TCCO is expected to release the decedent’s identity once their family is properly notified of their death.

ISP reported that no students were on the bus at the time of the crash. Troopers also indicated that no other injuries related to the crash have been reported.

State police’s investigation of the crash is still on going. ISP received assistance at the crash scene from the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, Battle Ground Police Department, Tippecanoe County EMS and Tippecanoe Township Fire Deparment.

Tippecanoe School Corporation indicated that its driver that was involved in Monday’s crash has been operating school buses for 27 years. In compliance with the school district’s standard procedures, the bus driver involved in the crash will be removed from service while police investigate the incident.

“This afternoon, one of our school buses was involved in a tragic accident with a pedestrian,” Tippecanoe School Corporation administrators wrote in a prepared statement. “There were no students on board the bus at the time. Our thoughts are with everyone affected. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement as they investigate.”

Monday’s incident marked the second fatal crash involving a central Indiana school bus in the last seven days. On Oct. 6, a construction worker was killed in a crash involving a school bus on State Road 22 in Howard County.