RUSHVILLE, Ill. — The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary findings as it continues to investigate the fatal school bus crash in Rushville that left three children and two adults dead.
The report says that on Monday, March 11, the school bus was traveling eastbound on U.S. Highway 24 when it approached a right-hand curve. Around halfway through the curve, the bus crossed over the center line and entered the westbound lane. That's when it struck a semi head on that propelled both vehicles off the round to the north. The semi's trailer was overturned while going off-road, and the two vehicles caught fire shortly after.
According to the report, NTSB officials are still working to determine the cause of the incident, and officials intend to use the findings to create safety recommendations to help prevent future accidents.
The county coroner identified the children killed in the crash as 5-year-old Maria Miller, 3-year-old Andrew Miller and 3-year-old Noah Driscoll, all from Rushville, state police said. Maria and Andrew Miller were sister and brother, the county coroner confirmed.
The bus driver was identified as Angela Spiker, 57, of Rushville, and the truck driver as David Coufal, 72, who was from the nearby village of Browning.
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel