Arlington Heights police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 3:41 PM Tuesday to a crash involving a school bus and two other vehicles at Wilke Road and Grove Street A Bluebird school bus was northbound on Wilke Road in the inside lane. The driver of a 2003 Chevy Avalanche turned left in front of the school bus while attempting to go westbound on Grove Street. The bus was unable to stop and struck the side of the Chevy Avalanche. The Avalanche then struck a 2001 Plymouth Neon, which was eastbound Grove Street from Rolling Meadows waiting to turn onto Wilke Road. The bus had 41 student passengers between the ages of 5 and 12. There were only minor injuries.
Police officers at the scene spoke with the driver of the Chevy Avalanche, John D.Schuster, 48-years-old, and smelled the odor consistent with alcoholic beverage coming from his breath. He was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was transported to NWCH for precautionary measures. A flask containing an alcoholic beverage was found in the vehicle. Schuster posted cash and a valid driver’s license before being released.
Schuster, of the 500 block of South Reuter Drive, was also charged with illegal transportation of liquor, failure to yield while turning left, and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
The crash is one of three crashes involving school buses with injuries to children this month in the area. Wednesday a crash on the Tri-State Tollway near Deerfield Road injured children on a school bus, and Tuesday three children were injured on a school bus that crashed with a pickup truck at North Frontage Road and Bayside Drive in unincorporated Palatine.
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