School bus accident reported in Jennings Co.

One person was killed in the crash.

Wednesday morning, at approximately 6:30 am, troopers with the Indiana State Police along with deputies with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office responded to a two vehicle fatal crash involving a school bus on State Road 7 at State Road 3 near Vernon, Indiana.

The initial investigation by the Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Reconstruction Team indicated that a 2016 International School Bus, owned by the Jennings County School Corporation, being driven by Robert J. Ringer, age 72, North Vernon, was traveling southbound on State Road 7.  A 2013 Chevrolet truck, being driven by Harry T. Palmer, age 48, North Vernon, was traveling northbound on State Road 7. 

Palmer attempted to turn southbound onto State Road 3 in front of the bus.  The bus struck the passenger side of Palmer’s vehicle.  The bus came to stop in the middle of State Road 7.  Palmer’s vehicle came to rest just off the roadway. 

Robert Ringer was not injured in the crash.  A passenger on the bus, Mary Boyd, age 74, North Vernon, sustained fatal injuries in the crash.  She was transported to St. Vincent-Jennings Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.  Palmer and a passenger in his vehicle, Steven P. Graham, age 44, North Vernon, where both transported to St. Vincent-Jennings Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Boyd was a bus aide that road on the bus route to monitor the students.  She had been employed with the Jennings County School Corporation as an aide for approximately ten years.  No students were on the bus at the time of the crash.