September 23, 2024 – Fond du Lac, Wi – On Monday, September 23, 2024, at approximately 7:18 a.m., the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call advising of a crash on STH 23 just west of Esterbrook Road, in the Township of Fond du Lac, involving a school bus and passenger car. Deputies from the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, Town of Fond du Lac Fire Department, and Fond du Lac Fire / Rescue responded to the scene.
Upon arrival of first responders, it was determined there were no injuries stemming from the crash. The crash took place as the school bus, belonging to Johnson School Bus Services and being operated by a 24-year-old Theresa man, had been stopped westbound on STH 23 picking up a juvenile passenger. They were the only two occupants of the bus.
As the bus began moving forward, a passenger car being driven by a 16-year-old male from Ripon collided with the rear of the bus causing the front end of the car to go underneath the bus.
He was the only occupant in the passenger car. All of the warning lights had been activated on the school bus prior to the crash.
The 16-year-old was issued a citation for causing the crash. Westbound traffic for STH 23 was closed at Esterbrook Road until the passenger car was towed from the scene.
The crash serves as a good reminder for drivers to be paying attention to the roadway and with the school year in full swing, to be on the lookout for the flashing yellow and red lights from school buses indicating that they are going to be stopping or are stopped.
Everyone in that neighborhood wants the speed reduced and even voiced that at a meeting prior to that intersection being revamped a few years back, but they kept saying they can’t reduce the speed because it’s a State highway.
They makes brakes for a reason big dog!