Child dead, four hurt in multi-vehicle crash involving school bus on Arizona highway: DPS

(PHOENIX) — A child was killed and four other people were seriously injured Sunday morning in a three-vehicle crash involving a school bus on I-40 in Arizona, authorities said.

The collision took place around 9:27 a.m. in Apache County when the school bus, which had been slowing down in traffic, was rear-ended by a commercial semitruck going eastbound at mile marker 328, Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. Jesus Gastelum said in a press release to Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV.

Eastbound traffic was slowed at the time due to a previous collision that morning, of a single commercial vehicle rollover, DPS said.

“Due to the impact, the school bus was pushed into the van,” Gastelum said.

There were 19 people on the school bus at the time, according to DPS, which said one child on the school bus died and “four other school bus occupants sustained serious injuries.” It was not immediately clear if the injured occupants were also children.

There were no other serious injuries reported, and an investigation is ongoing, Gastelum added.

DPS said there was a “full closure” going eastbound on I-40 and traffic was being diverted.