A Wawasee school bus was involved in a two-vehicle accident on SR 13 on Wednesday, Aug. 9. InkFreeNews photo by Keith Knepp.

By Keith Knepp
InkFreeNews

UPDATED

The close of the first day of school on Wednesday, Aug. 9, ended in an unexpected way for some Wawasee Middle School students. Bus No. 44 was involved in a two-vehicle accident on SR 13 at the intersection with CR 1000N, just north of the school, which also involved a silver sedan.

According to the police report, the bus was driven by William D. Abbott,  Pierceton, and was traveling north on SR 13. The driver of the 2012 Volkswagen sedan, Leighton J. Cantu, Leesburg, was driving east on CR 100N. Cantu stopped at the stoplight and proceeded into the traffic lane, where he crashed into the 2021 Bluebird school bus.

No injuries were reported and the students were transferred to another school bus. The Volkswagen was placed on a flatbed truck for transport away from the scene. The school bus remained on the shoulder of the northbound lane of traffic.

Total damage was estimated between $5,001 and $10,000.

Turkey Creek Township Fire and EMS Territory responded to the scene, along with Syracuse Police Department and Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office.