On Monday, the first day of the second semester in the Van Buren Public Schools, a pickup truck smashed into the back of a school bus that was stopped at a railroad crossing.
The accident occurred on Haggerty Road at the tracks near French Landing Park as the bus with 37 elementary school students on board was headed to classes at Haggerty Elementary School at about 8:44 a.m.
After the crash, the driver of the pickup, identified as Tony Frank Ptak, Jr., 33, of Wyandotte, ran off on foot and was pursued and taken into custody by a Van Buren Police Officer on the railroad tracks near Sandy’s Marina.
Ptak complained of injuries suffered in the crash and was taken to Annapolis Hospital, where he was treated and released.
Ptak was arrested by VBT police for operating while under the influence of drugs, driving while license suspended, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, and resisting/obstructing arrest.
Captain Gregory Laurain said suspect Ptak fled because of outstanding warrants for marijuana and driving while license suspended from the Wyandotte Police Department and probation violations.
Railroad officials were alerted that a school bus was partially on the tracks and asked to keep trains away. Haggerty Road north of Huron River Drive was closed for a time until the bus and pickup could be removed. The pickup reportedly was totaled.
School District Transportation Director Rhonda Lyons-Manning reported that six students complained of minor injuries at the scene. One child was taken to school by his mother after being checked out by EMS.
Five others were transported to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital for precautionary measures because parents were not at the scene to release them to go to school, Manning reported.
All parents of students on the bus were contacted and Haggerty School monitored all the students involved during the school day.
She said Bus #32 has some damage to the rear and the glass for the rear door was also damaged.