School Bus Crashes into House - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

School Bus Crashes into House

By Alex Schuman

aschuman@myabc5.com

@alexschuman

The snow storm caused conditions to be slick across the state Monday morning, and one of the most dangerous examples of those conditions happened in West Des Moines.

A school bus on its way to Crestview Elementary, with eleven kids on board, went off the road on the 500 block of 53rd St. in West Des Moines. It went across several yards and crashed into a house.

"It sounded like a snow plow coming down the road and then a few seconds later it sounded like lightning hit the front of the house and the whole house shook," said Brian Ancell, the homeowner. "I went to look out the second story bedroom and there was a school bus in the front yard."
 
The bus  totaled his pick-up truck. It pushed it from their driveway across their entire front yard and almost into the street.

"There was significant damage to the bus, truck, and to the house," explained Lt. Jim Barrett, West Des Moines Police.

No one was injured.  The kids and driver waited over 30 minutes until someone opened the emergency door on the back of the bus.

A different school bus then came and took the kids to class. 

Ancell says this is not the first time a driver's gone out of control on their street.

"Sometimes when it's icy they hit mailboxes and things," he said.

Ancell's garage suffered about $75,000, but despite the inconvenience, he does not seem to mind.

"Not really concerned about it," he said.  "I know the insurance company will take care of it."

Both the school and police will have their own separate investigations.  If they find the bus driver was going faster than he should've or made a mistake, charges may be filed and the school will reexamine their safety policy.