Thomas L. Knighton, 33, of Pevely was hurt this morning (Nov. 30), when the SUV he was driving struck the rear of a Fox C-6 School District bus stopped on Hwy. M at Catlin Drive in Barnhart, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reports.
About 10 students from Antonia Elementary School were on the bus, which was on its way to the school and, fortunately, none of them was hurt, said Sam Rayburn, communications coordinator for the Fox district.
He said the children were checked out at the scene and then once they got to school, principal Mark Rudanovich talked to them about the accident and how they felt and the school nurse checked them again, Rayburn said.
Sherri A. Schaub, 41, of House Springs was driving the bus. No injuries were reported for her, the patrol reported.
At 8:20 a.m., Knighton was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer west on Hwy. M and apparently didn’t notice the school bus stopped at a red light in the left lane to Catlin and ran into the back of the bus, a 2014 Thomas school bus, the report said.
Knighton sustained minor injuries and was taken by Rock Township Ambulance to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in south St. Louis County, where he was treated and released, a hospital spokesman said this afternoon.
He was not wearing a seat belt, and Schaub was wearing one, the patrol reported.
The SUV was extensively damaged, and the school bus was moderately damaged, the report said.