On August 1, 2019, at approximately 10:45AM, Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a traffic crash with injuries on Route 137 and River Road, Unincorporated Libertyville. The crash involved three school buses carrying children and a dump-truck loaded with landscaping material.
Preliminary investigation shows the three loaded school buses were traveling westbound on Route 137, and a 1998 Mack Truck, with a 2016 Dierzen Trailer, driven by a 44-year-old man of Elgin, was behind the buses. The buses began to slow for traffic in front of them, however, the driver of the Mack was unable to slow in time. The front of the Mack Truck struck the rear of the first school bus, which pushed that school bus into the second school bus, and the second school bus into the third.
The school buses were carrying children aged 5-14 from the North Suburban YMCA Summer Camp in Northbrook. There were a total of 144 campers and camp counselors onboard the three buses. All were evaluated by paramedics from Libertyville Fire Department as well as other regional fire departments. A total of 17 campers and counselors were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The three bus drivers and truck driver were uninjured.
YMCA staff members worked with the busing company to transport all of the children and counselors back to camp.
No citations have been issued as of yet, however, are likely for the driver of the truck.