Truck Slams Into Ponca City School Bus

News9.com

PONCA CITY, Oklahoma -- The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said a Ponca City school bus was hit by a pick-up truck Tuesday afternoon.

The crash happened on Highway 77 near Kildare and Pecan roads just north of Ponca City. Troopers said the driver of the pickup, Clifford Barney, was traveling southbound when he ran a stop sign and crashed into the school bus, which was heading west.

The 42-year-old and a passenger, 55-year-old Hilda Slaight, were pinned for 30 minutes before being freed by the Newkirk Fire Department.

Barney was airlifted to a hospital in Wichita, Kansas in critical condition with head and leg injuries. Slaight was taken to an area hospital in stable condition with head and other internal injuries.

The Newkirk schools bus driver, 72-year-old Stephen Smith, refused treatment at the scene.

There were 16 middle schoolers on the bus at the time of the crash. OHP said three middle school children, two 13 year olds and a 9-year-old were taken to a local hospital, treated for minor injuries and released. Three other students were taken to the hospital in private vehicles and were released. No other students were injured.