Prior Lake family shaken up after school bus crash

PRIOR LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) – A More in advance family is speaking out after they say their child was on a school bus when he was involved in a crash.

The mother said her child no longer feels comfortable on the bus and she is waiting for answers from the district.

The mother also tells FOX 9 she understands accidents happen, but she hopes the district can respond more quickly to students’ needs after an incident like this.

What happened

A parent of a fourth-grader in Prior Lake said it was a call no parent wants to receive.

“When you get that phone call, your heart definitely sinks,” the Prior Lake parent said. “Suddenly I heard some sirens going off. I knew the bus was late. I looked at my phone and there was a private number calling me, so I answered, and it was a police officer calling me and saying, My son was in a bus accident and is doing well.”

Her son was the only student on the bus last Friday afternoon as it passed the intersection of Highway 13 and Fish Point Road.

“I got into this pose. I hit the seat,” said the fourth-grader who was on the bus.

The family says they are disappointed with the district’s response.

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“When I arrived on scene, I was a little surprised to see that the bus crew was already there. The district office was notified before a parent was even notified that their child had been in a bus accident,” said the older. “When I got there, the bus driver admitted it was his fault. He ran a red light. He hit a car and then that car hit another car.”

She said her son is now uncomfortable with the school bus and is asking the district to help with a solution.

‘They said they would try to get him a van to come and pick him up in the morning, and I said I wanted to pick him up after school. I just ask for help in the morning,” the parent said.

What the neighborhood says

A spokesperson for Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools confirmed that police were on scene of the bus crash and sent FOX 9 this statement: “We take the safety of our students very seriously and are committed to ensuring their well-being at all times. Due to privacy concerns, we cannot provide specific details about individual students or personnel matters. Please know that we are working closely with all parties involved to address the situation and ensure the continued safety of our students.”