This story was updated at 6 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.
Two people, including a 14-year-old girl, were killed and five other children were injured Tuesday evening when a school bus crashed into a tractor-trailer on Interstate 79 in Butler County.
Pennsylvania State Police said the wreck occurred about 4:30 p.m. as both vehicles drove northbound in the right-hand lane of I-79 in Muddy Creek Township. Police reports and video from Post-Gazette news partner KDKA-TV showed that the bus rear-ended the truck.
KDKA reported that the 13 students on the bus were from Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Midland, Beaver County.
The 31-year-old bus driver and a 14-year-old student were killed on impact, according to Butler County Deputy Coroner John Hanovick.
The bus driver was later identified as Lindsay Thompkins. The 14-year-old’s name was not released due to her age.
Two injured passengers were flown to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and taken to UPMC Presbyterian by ambulance, police said. They were expected to recover.
Police said the students who were not injured were reunited with their parents and guardians.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was identified as Karandeep Singh. He was not injured.
The northbound lanes of I-79 were closed into early Wednesday as police investigated.
First Published: November 2, 2021, 11:20 p.m.
Updated: November 4, 2021, 10:03 a.m.
