Skip to content

Several injured in Red Deer city bus crash

Several people were injured when a City of Red Deer transit bus veered into a light standard to avoid a full collision with a small car Thursday evening.
twitter_bus_crash_pic
Several people were injured when a City of Red Deer transit bus veered into a light standard to avoid a full collision with a small car Thursday evening.

Several people were injured when a City of Red Deer transit bus veered into a light standard to avoid a full collision with a small car Thursday evening.

At approximately 6:45 p.m. the bus, transporting approximately 10 people, was travelling north on Taylor Drive through the intersection of 22nd Street on a green light.

Cpl. Kathe DeHeer, media resource officer with Red Deer City RCMP, said the bus was struck by a southbound Pontiac Sunfire which made a left-hand turn in front of it.

In an effort to avoid the vehicle, the transit operator veered the bus off Taylor Drive and struck a light standard on the northeast side of the intersection.

“One of our members, an off-duty member, happened to witness this,” DeHeer said on Friday.

A 30-year-old woman was issued a ticket for making the unsafe left-hand turn, DeHeer said.

City of Red Deer transit manager Kevin Joll says the bus was travelling on Route 12 which goes to Gasoline Alley and Spring Brook.

“But at this time of the day it would only be going to Gasoline Alley,” he said.

Not knowing the exact details regarding the people on the bus, Joll did say he believes there were minor injuries. The transit driver also suffered minor injuries.

“He is banged but is doing okay,” Joll said.

“We have a huge concern for our citizens and our customers who were involved and our hearts are going out to them but I don’t really know what’s going on with them at this point,” he said.

The transit manager believes some passengers were taken by ambulance and that others were taken by a transit supervisor to make their next connection.

“This is unfortunately sometimes a reality in our business,” he said.

“We travel a lot of kilometres and it’s really unfortunate and sort of rocks your world when these things happen and you can’t help but feel for the people involved.”

The route was back up and running normally with a spare bus on Friday.

“It could have been worse so we are very fortunate,” Joll said.