Twelve people were injured and at least seven were hospitalized following a crash at the corner of Naomi Drive and Poplar Level Road in Louisville, Kentucky on the afternoon of Monday, March 30, 2015. The collision took place when a blue Toyota pickup truck reportedly ran several red lights before reaching the intersection, where it smashed into the side of a Jefferson County school bus. More than 20 people were on the bus at the time of the crash, around half of whom sustained injuries as a result of the collision.
The driver of the truck, a man named Ricardo Perez, allegedly attempted to flee on foot following the crash. However, a witness tackled the man and kept him at the scene until authorities arrived and arrested him under suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Other witnesses caught the post-crash scuffle on video recording.
Perez faced charges Tuesday morning related to driving under the influence, operating a vehicle without a license to drive, lack of automobile insurance, lack of automobile registration, marijuana possession, and driving with an open alcoholic beverage container, to which he pleaded not guilty. He is currently being detained with a $10,000 bond until his next court date in mid-April.
The bus was transporting students from nearby Indian Trail Elementary School when the accident occurred. The driver of the bus and several students on board were hurt in the collision, but none of the injuries sustained were grave, and both children and driver are expected to fully recover following medical treatment at an area hospital. Perez apparently did not sustain any injuries in the crash that resulted from his impaired driving.
The pickup truck sustained severe front-end damage as a result of the accident. The school bus did not receive much visible damage, however, as a precaution, all uninjured students were taken home by an alternate school bus which arrived on scene after the crash.