Newly released body camera footage captures the moment a highway patrol officer bravely jumped into the burning bus in an attempt to free any students who might still be alive.
Footage released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol shows the unidentified officer making a U-turn as soon as he saw smoke billowing from the fatal collision on Interstate 70 on November 14.
He pulled into the median on the freeway and asked others at the scene, “Are we getting everybody out.”
A panicked bystander then replied, “No! There were children on the bus, but we couldn’t find them.”
Immediately, the officer took a fire extinguisher from the trunk of his patrol car and ran to the scene.
The officer first stopped at a red passenger car, yelling for the driver — identified by the Ohio Department of Public Safety only as a 75-year-old man — to get out of the vehicle and be safe.
“Come on, get out,” the police urged. “Move, move.”
Once the man was safely out of his car, the officer then moved into a burning bus carrying 54 high school marching band members and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District to perform.
Body camera footage released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol shows the moment a heroic police officer entered a burning bus in an effort to save any students who may still be on board on November 14. Ohio State Highway Patrol A highway patrol officer immediately grabbed a fire extinguisher from the back of his vehicle and jumped into the bus. Ohio State Highway Patrol
The back row of the bus was on fire as the police asked, “Is anyone here? Anyone?”
At that point, another good Samaritan followed the policeman into the bus, as he asked for a count of the number of students on the bus.
“I don’t see anyone,” said the policeman before going to ask the victim if anyone needed medical attention.
Three high school students were pronounced dead at the scene. They were identified as John Mosely, 18, of Mineral City; Jeffery Worrell, 18, of Bolivar; and Katelyn Owens, 15, of Mineral City.
A teacher and two chaperones who were traveling together in a passenger car following the bus were also killed. They were identified as Dave Kennat, 56, of Navarre; Kristy Gaynor, 39, of Zoar; and Shannon Wigfield, 45, of Bolivar.
The patrol officer called out to ask if anyone was still on the bus that was taking the students to the band performance. Ohio State Highway Patrol
Eighteen others were injured, including a 75-year-old man who was seen being rescued by the officer, according to WCMH.
He suffered serious injuries, but his current condition is unclear.
Ohio state officials now say the crash happened when two passenger vehicles, a Volvo semi truck and the bus all slowed for traffic.
A Freightliner semi truck operated by Mid State Systems followed too closely, however, and crashed into the back of a Nissan SUV carrying several companions — pushing it into the back of the bus, WHIO reported.
The collision then forced the bus to hit the passenger Toyota, which in turn hit the Volvo truck.
Eventually the Toyota swerved into the left lane, causing the bus to crash into the lorry itself.
Six people were killed in the crash, including three high school students, a teacher and two chaperones. Courtsey family
Troopers reported that the driver of the Freightliner, identified as Jacob McDonald, was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time. No other drivers were tested.
But McDonald and Mid State Systems have previously been cited for problems such as faulty brakes and working too many hours.
More than three years before the fatal collision, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio accused the company of multiple violations while McDonald was driving the truck — including brake connections with leaks or restrictions, and loss of brake system pressure, according to documents obtained by ABC News.
The company was fined $150 for the violation.
In 2021, following another inspection conducted while McDonald was operating one of the vehicles, the commission wrote to Mid State Systems alleging similar violations, including malfunctioning or damaged brakes, excessive weight and “an automatic air brake adjustment system that failed to balance wear.”
It was then fined another $100.
The crash occurred when a Freightliner semi truck operated by Mid State Systems rear-ended a two-passenger vehicle, causing it to crash into the bus.
“The number of defective brakes is equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle or combination,” both the 2020 and 2021 letters read, according to ABC News.
The following year, the commission alleged that McDonald was driving beyond his 14-hour shift — but this time did not fine the company.
Then, less than three weeks before the collision on I-70, the commission reached a settlement with Mid State Systems for $805 for “brake hose or tube chafing and/or kinking” and “placard/marking issues” involving trucks operated by others . driver.
In a statement to ABC News, the company said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family [affected] by this tragic accident.
“As this matter is still under investigation, we will comment further at this time.”
Mid State’s system has previously been cited for issues such as broken brakes and working too many hours. AP
The document also shows the commission sent a letter to GA Wintzer & Son Co., the operator of Volvo semi trucks, alleging that on the day of the crash their vehicles had several violations including “brake connections with leaks or construction,” “failure to secure loads” and “brakes that insufficient to stop safely — brake lining condition.”
President Sean Wintzer, however, denied these claims.
“We have received a letter from the PUCO and we do not agree with their findings, as we believe the accident caused the conditions stated in the letter.”
The Post has also contacted Mid State Solutions and GA Wintzer & Son Co. to get a review.
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