RUSHVILLE, Ill — After a school bus and semi-truck collided Monday in Rushville, Illinois, resulting in the deaths of three young children and two adults, community members are working together to support the victims' families.
Three students were among the dead, along with the drivers of the school bus and semi-truck. The Illinois State Police (ISP) has released the names of those who passed away Monday. They were identified as:
- David Coufal, 72-year-old male of Browning, Illinois
- Angela Spiker, 57-year-old female from Rushville, Illinois
- Maria Miller, 5-year-old female from Rushville, Illinois
- Andrew Miller, 3-year-old male from Rushville, Illinois
- Noah Driscoll, 3-year-old male from Rushville, Illinois
To support the victims' families, the following resources have been made available:
Organizations in the area are also opening their doors to support those impacted by the accident.
- The Schuyler-Industry Schools District has made its buildings available for grief counseling to students and staff impacted by the incident.
- The Schuyler County Mental Health Association is offering counseling services to anybody affected by the incident.
What happened?
The accident took place around 11:30 a.m. Monday at the intersection of U.S. Route 24 and Parkville Road in Rushville.
ISP said the school bus, driven by Spiker, was traveling eastbound on Illinois Route 24 when for unknown reasons the bus crossed over into the westbound lanes in front of the semi-truck. Both vehicles became engulfed in flames. The three children and the bus driver were the only individuals on the bus.
According to Schuyler County Coroner Terry Millslagle, autopsies for the five deceased will be conducted in Springfield. The accident is under investigation.
Where is Rushville?
Rushville is a town of about 3,000 people in Schuyler County, Illinois. It's located about 60 miles northwest of Springfield, and about 100 miles south of the Quad Cities.
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel