Mason County Sheriff's Deputies Respond to School Bus Accident

SHELTON, Wash. - Mason County Deputies and Troopers from the WA State Patrol responded this morning to the report of a school bus full of children that went into a ditch.  None of the 36 children or the school bus driver was injured.

Investigators say that the school bus driver was in the process of picking up children for school when the driver pulled over to the side of the road to allow traffic to pass.  As the school bus sat on the shoulder of the road in the 3000 block of E. Pickering Road, just north of Shelton, the shoulder gave way and the bus slid sideways into the ditch.

Due to the angle of the bus, Firefighters from Fire District #5 responded and assisted Mason County Sheriff Deputies evacuate the 36 children through the rear emergency exit window and onto another school bus.   As soon as all of the students were safely onboard the second bus, Traffic Deputy Brad Trout, along with two Fire District #5 Paramedics went through the school bus evaluating each child for any possible injuries.  All students and the driver stated that they were uninjured and none required any medical attention.

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The school bus driver informed Deputies that he had just picked up a student and that there were several cars behind the school bus.  So, he pulled onto the shoulder to let the cars pass before he continued his route.  The tires on the right side of the school bus slid down the muddy edge and into the ditch where the school bus became stuck.  A tow truck responded and pulled the bus out of the ditch.  There was no damage to the bus.  All of the students were transported to school on the second bus without further incident.