TERRE HAUTE —
“Brace yourself. Brace yourself,” Fay Pickering shouted to her students just before the school bus she was driving crossed U.S. 40 and landed in a ditch Thursday morning.
Several students got down in their seats and covered their heads, according to Ron Howe, Marshall, Ill. Community Schools transportation director.
Pickering, a veteran school bus driver of more than 20 years, then passed out and was later transported by ambulance to Union Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
An autopsy indicated the cause of death “appears to be cardiac-related,” Vigo County Coroner Dr. Roland Kohr said that afternoon.
Clark County officials who responded to the 7:45 a.m. CST school bus accident said it appeared to have been caused by a medical complication.
What’s amazing to Howe is that even in her final moments of consciousness, Pickering was looking out for the students. Fortunately, the 23 students escaped the accident on U.S. 40 east of Marshall with just bumps and bruises.
“It was a terrible situation, but it could have been much worse,” Howe said.
He saw the bus surveillance video of what happened just prior to the school bus accident. Pickering couldn’t have been going too fast and did manage to put on the brakes lightly, even though her strength was likely waning, he said.
Soon after the accident, district officials, principals and two nurses — as well as emergency response personnel — arrived at the scene.
The students were in grades elementary through high school.
The accident occurred on U.S. 40 about one-half mile east of Marshall. The bus, which was westbound, ran off the road into a ditch, but it remained upright, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Department, which investigated the accident.
“We’re very fortunate with the students,” said Superintendent Rick Manuell, interviewed late Thursday morning. The driver’s condition was unknown at that time.
All students were taken to North Elementary School, where they were checked out by medical staff. Also, three counselors were available if students needed to talk with them, Manuell said.
All parents were contacted and a few of the students went home, while others were taken to their regular schools.
Manuell praised all emergency service personnel at the scene.
“We had an awful lot of help out there,” Manuell said. Those responding included Marshall police, Illinois State Police and Clark County law enforcement, as well as the ambulance service.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
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