Seven students sustain
minor injuries
Minivan’s driver killed when it strikes school bus
DEADLY CRASH - The driver of this 2005 Pontiac minivan was pronounced dead at the scene of a collision with an Amelia County school bus Monday (May 5). Two students on the bus were transported by ambulances with unknown injuries and at least five more were taken by their parents to receive medical attention.
Shortly after schools had closed for the day Monday (May 5), an Amelia County
Public School bus was stopped at the signal light on eastbound U.S. 360 at
Goodes Bridge Road (Business Rt. 360) when it was struck in the rear by a 2005
Pontiac Montana minivan driven by an Amelia man, according to Virginia State
Police spokesman Sgt. Tom Cunningham. The driver of the minivan, identified as
Charles Herman Osterman, 76, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The collision occurred at approximately 3:35 p.m. The minivan
struck the rear of the school bus with such force as to bounce the minivan back
ten feet. The front end of the minivan was completely demolished in the crash,
pinning the driver against the dashboard.
Emergency squad members and fire department volunteers worked
the scene and reported there were seven students with what appeared to be very
minor injuries. Sgt. Cunningham stressed there were no life-threatening or
serious injuries among the youngsters.
There were 43 students on board the bus when the accident
occurred. Their ages ranged from 3 to 18 years because the schools use the same
bus routes to transport students to and from the elementary, middle and high
schools as well as the pre-school facility. The Amelia Emergency Squad
transported two students to the VCU Medical Center. The students, both male and
said to be about 13 and18 years of age, complained of neck and back pain. Five
other students also complained of pain and their parents were advised to seek
medical help for them. The schools Administrative Assistant for Support Services
said at least three middle school students were taken out of school by their
parents Tuesday (May 6) to seek medical help as well.
Counseling was made available for students who requested it
at all three schools Tuesday. At press time, Mr. Boarman said some students at
the middle school had requested counseling. He did not know about the other
schools.
Twenty children who were not injured were picked up by their
parents at the scene Monday. Another nine were placed on another school bus to
finish the route, Mr. Boarman said.
Mr. Osterman was the only occupant of the minivan. State
police said he was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Sgt. Cunningham
would not speculate on the cause of the accident, however, knowledgeable sources
later told The Monitor it is possible Mr. Osterman may have died of a
heart attack just prior to the crash. There was little bleeding from his
injuries, they said, indicating his heart had already stopped the blood flow. In
addition, there were no skid marks indicating any attempt to brake and witnesses
said the driver appeared to be slumped over the steering wheel before the
impact.
An ambulance also transported another driver to a Richmond
area hospital as the result of a second accident at the fatal crash scene
Monday. A SUV that was slowing to pass the crash scene in the left eastbound
lane was struck from behind by a pickup truck. The woman driving the SUV was
transported for medical care. Her injuries were not thought to be
life-threatening.
The driver of the 1999 International school bus was Mary
Frances Jasper. She sought a medical examination on her own and it was
determined she was not injured in the accident, Mr. Boarman said Tuesday. The
bus sustained only minimal damage and Mr. Boarman was certain it could be
repaired. (See related story on page 16 of the print edition.)
The highway was completely opened by 6 p.m. The accident is
still under investigation by Virginia State Trooper T.G. Watson.
Mr. Osterman is the county’s third traffic fatality of 2008.
Monday’s collision was also the second crash involving a school bus this year. A
school bus was also rear-ended in the first crash and resulted in only minor
injuries.
Mr. Osterman is survived by his wife, Barbara, sons, Ronald
of North Carolina, Charles Jr. of Powhatan, Troy of Chesterfield, and Kevin of
Richmond, his brother, William of Fredericksburg, and five grandchildren.
Funeral services are 2 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, May 9) at Hillsman-Hix Funeral
Home with burial in the Virginia Veterans Cemetery. Visiting at the funeral home
is tonight (Thursday, May 8) from 6 until 8:30 p.m.
STUDENTS INJUIRED - Rescue workers, school personnel and parents help
students off the stricken bus. The volunteers and school personnel checked the
students for injuries before allowing them to leave the scene with their parents
or on another school bus. Two students were transported by ambulance and another
five were taken to medical facilities by their parents.