Student exiting school bus struck by vehicle during Fayette County crash
On May 3 at approximately 3 p.m., the Fayette County Sheriff's Office responded to the 8000 block of US 62 North on a report of an injury accident involving a child being struck as they were exiting a school bus.
Upon arrival, an investigation provided that a Miami Trace Local School District bus had stopped in the 8000 block of US 62 North to allow a student to exit the bus. As the bus lights and stop sign were activated, a line of southbound traffic also came to a stop to allow the student to exit the bus.
As traffic was stopped, a 2020 Dodge Ram, operated by Austin Rideout, 28, of Washington CH, was traveling southbound and allegedly failed to observe the cars stopped in the southbound lanes yielding to the school bus. The Dodge Ram allegedly struck the rear end of a 2010 Ford Fusion, operated by Mason Roush, 21, of Greenfield, pushing it forward and causing it to strike a 2013 Honda Civic, operated by Anthony Hamilton, 42, of Washington CH.
The Fusion bounced off of the Civic, traveled across the yellow center line into the northbound lane of travel, off the east side of the roadway and struck a 12-year-old student as the student was being discharged from the bus and entering the driveway. The student was thrown through the air and into the front yard of a residence on US 62 North. The Fusion continued along the ditch line before coming to a stop at the rear of the school bus.
Fayette County EMS arrived on scene and requested that Med-Flight respond to transport the student by helicopter to a Columbus-area trauma center. Fayette County EMS transported Mr. Roush to the Adena Fayette Emergency Room. Both Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Rideout were treated on scene and refused to be transported by EMS personnel.
Mr. Rideout was charged with failing to maintain an assured clear distance ahead and summonsed into the Washington Municipal Court for his initial court appearance.
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