2 children injured in school bus accident

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Two children were reportedly injured after a truck ran into a Sikeston school bus early Wednesday.

About 7:30 a.m., the Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call that a pickup truck crashed into the bus at the intersection of Greer and Maple streets in Sikeston, said Capt. Jim McMillen, the department's public information officer.

Upon the officers' arrival, it was found that two children, ages 7 and 9, were complaining of injury. Emergency medical workers were contacted as a precaution, and they evaluated the children's complaints.

Witnesses said the school bus driver had just loaded a few children onto the bus when the driver saw the vehicle traveling north on Maple.

According to the bus driver, it didn't appear the vehicle was going to stop at the stop sign, so the bus driver sat in place as the vehicle struck the side of the bus just below the bus driver's window.

"Police commended the bus driver for recognizing the threat and not moving forward," McMillen said. "By doing so, this kept the vehicle's impact away from the passenger area of the bus, helping reduce the likelihood of injury to the children."

School administrators arrived at the scene to check the well-being of the students and helped transfer them to another school bus, McMillen said.

The driver of the truck reportedly did not see the bus and was cited for running the stop sign.