An area man is dead following a head-on crash between an all-terrain vehicle and school bus near Busby.
RCMP report that at approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10 a quad travelling east on Township Road 580 near Ridge Road 273 collided head-on with a westbound bus carrying a dozen students.
RCMP, fire and emergency-response crews responded — even STARS Air Ambulance was called — but the driver of the ATV, an area man in his early 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are not releasing his name.
“It’s a sad set of circumstances,” said Cpl. Dennis Properzi of the Westlock RCMP.
RCMP say the collision occurred at the crest of a hill, with the school bus travelling west, while the ATV was travelling east as the two vehicles would have crested the hill.
The man was wearing protective clothing and a helmet.
The school bus driver and none of the students were hurt in the crash, Pembina Hills Supt. Colleen Symyrozum-Watt confirmed.
Following the incident students were taken to the Westlock RCMP Detachment to give statements and counselling was made available to all involved, said Symyrozum-Watt.
In addition she said the division will conduct its own review of the crash in addition to the RCMP investigation.
“Our students have full access to counselling services. They’ve been made available to them,” she said. “We’re very thankful there were no injuries.”
