UPDATE AT 4:30pm on 9/16/2024 – Officials provided an update on the bus rollover crash near Random Lake this morning.
Ozaukee County Sheriff Christy Knowles said that distracted driving was not a factor in this crash, but that as crash reconstruction continues, they will be learning about the speeds of both the bus and the Jeep. Knowles also noted that the intersection of County Highway E and Jay Road has been known to be problematic during parts of the morning and afternoon, where the sun can prevent drivers from seeing the stop sign. “The crash was preventable,” she said, and that there were no criminal violations made during the crash.
The Jeep’s driver 32-year-old Becka Stevenson of West Bend was cited for Failure to Yield from a Stop Sign. Sheriff Knowles said her license was valid, and that Stevenson is cooperating with police.
Random Lake School District Administrator Dr. Mike Trimberger said he has met with most of the families with children still at area hospitals, and fortunately it’s “some broken bones, bumps, bruises, and concussions are what we are dealing with. There will be support for the students, as well as safety sessions with all grade levels to ensure that students know that “the buses are safe”.
Trimberger recognized that this was a traumatic event for those involved and wants to ensure that the students and bus driver gets the support they need. He said the would be meeting with the bus drivers of the 7 routes that travel to the school and talk about options for route changes or even requesting rumble strips in the road to make finding the intersection stops easier.
UPDATE at 3:50pm on 9/16/2024 – School administrators in Random Lake will provide mental health support for children dealing with today’s accident. The following letter was posted to the families in the district via their Facebook page.
UPDATE 9/16/24 at 11:45am – The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office says eight students were injured in a rollover bus crash Monday morning near the Sheboygan-Ozaukee County line in the Town of Fredonia, about five miles southwest of Random Lake.
In a release, Sheriff Christy Knowles says around 7:23am, a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee struck the bus after failing to yield at a stop sign at the intersection of County Highway E and Jay Road.
The bus was a Random Lake School District bus occupied by 36 students ranging from elementary school to high school age. The bus was driven by 53-year-old Mark Hall of West Bend who is an employee of the Random Lake School District. Hall had minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee was driven by 32-year-old Becka Stevenson of West Bend, who was cited for Failure to Yield from a Stop Sign. Ozaukee County Sheriff Christy Knowles says additional investigation is pending. The Jeep was also occupied by 33-year-old Luis Vargas of Random Lake. Both Stevenson and Vargas received minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
Multiple students have been injured in a bus rollover crash Monday morning near the Sheboygan-Ozaukee County line.
The Ozaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to WTMJ that they were not called to the scene near County Highway E and Jay Road.
The Random Lake School District posted a message to their Facebook page moments ago:
According to police scanner audio, patients are being sent to Aurora Grafton and Froedtert West Bend for injury treatment.
This is a breaking news story; more information will be provided as it becomes available.
