SPRINGBROOK - Seven children and a driver riding on a Chinook's Edge School Division bus miraculously escaped serious injury or worse after being involved in a head-on collision with a stolen truck operated by an armed and dangerous fugitive being pursued by RCMP.
In a media release on Jan. 22, Blackfalds RCMP said police responded to a carjacking near Springbrook shortly after 8 a.m. RCMP said a male driving a truck collided with a school bus at it was approaching the hamlet at Twp. Rd. 372 and Rge. Rd. 281.
When a passerby stopped to offer assistance the male suspect pointed a handgun and demanded her vehicle, said RCMP. Mounties said the suspect fled in the victim’s Mitsubishi Outlander, heading westbound on Twp. Rd. 372.
RCMP said the school bus was connected to Chinook’s Edge School Division, servicing Penhold and area schools. The bus had seven children on board, all of whom were assessed and cleared by EMT on scene. Two children had minor injuries which were treated.
Kurt Sacher, superintendent of the school board, said transportation department officials were sent to the scene where RCMP members were continuing their investigation. Sacher said the information he received was that the school bus was eastbound on Twp. Rd. 372 when it collided head-on with the westbound stolen truck that had veered into the bus driver's lane.
He said one child sustained a bleeding nose while the other had a cut lip. He said parents of three children were called to pick up their children while the other four were taken to their school.
Sacher said the bus driver was "just shook up" and was released right away.
"There was no other physical injuries. They are all going to be OK," said Sacher, adding that a preliminary internal probe shows the bus driver did everything he could to keep the children safe. "We are pretty clear that there was no driver error."
In the meantime RCMP is still searching for the suspect and the vehicle he stole at the crash scene. RCMP are looking for a silver 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander, with Alberta licence plate BNR6558.
"The public is not to approach this vehicle, or the male driving the vehicle. He is considered to be armed and dangerous," said the RCMP in a media release, adding the suspect's truck from the collision at Twp. Rd. 372 and Rge. Rd. 281 was earlier reported stolen and involved in previous incidents in the Three Hills and Bashaw areas.
The male suspect is described as Caucasian, 5 feet, 11 inches tall, dark wavy hair, black skull bandana pulled up covering the lower half of his face, dark jacket with the hood covering his head and dark cargo pants.
Police are advising the public that if they come across the the Mitsibushi Outlander or the male driver, call 911 immediately. If the vehicle is located abandoned, they are asked to contact the Blackfalds RCMP at 403-885-3333, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or online at www.P3Tips.com
