No one injured in bus rollover accident

COURTESY PHOTOS / KATIE TANK
No one was injured in a school bus rollover accident Tuesday morning near North Bend.
Dustin Weitzel, a sergeant for the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, said a North Bend Central Public Schools bus was involved in the incident that occurred at about 7:15 a.m. on County Road R between County Road 18 and 19.
“The bus had a rollover (going) at minimal speed due to the roadway conditions out on the gravel road with all of the rain that we had,” he said. “It was a slow-speed rollover. There were approximately 15 passengers on that bus. There were no injuries, but everyone was checked out at the hospital before going back to school.”
Weitzel said the road was closed until Tuesday afternoon so that the tow company could get to the bus.
The rollover was also a point of discussion during Wednesday morning’s Dodge County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Christopher and Katie Tank said their children were on the bus at the time of the accident. Christopher addressed the board.
“My thought is that this has gone on for about three years now with the construction up here,” Tank said. “I’m not against that because it has to come out somewhere, but the fact that they aren’t maintaining it is a problem. I don’t think it is taxpayers’ dollars that should be paying for this. It’s not Maple Township’s fault and it isn’t Dodge County’s fault.
“I think the contractor needs to be fixing what they are damaging. They are making a lot of money on these projects. Yesterday was a bad scenario and it could’ve gone a lot worse. Our kids were on the bus so it was definitely a scary moment when we got that call.”
Tank said he used to be the Maple Township road grader operator.
“I know what it is like when these powdery roads have been dry for so long and then you get three inches of rain,” he said. “It happens, but in that situation, there was a lot of neglect on those roads. … I just thinking more needs to be done in getting contractors to help out.”
Board chairman Bob Missel shared Tank’s concern.
“I spoke at length with the highway superintendent yesterday and I believe he called every board member,” he said. “He was quite upset about it. Yes, it is a township road but he is all about getting that fixed. He has vocally been engaged with the contractors that it is their responsibility to see that that road is properly taken care of and maintained. I believe we are all in full agreement with you.”
Missel noted that it was fortunate no one was injured.
“This can’t happen again,” he said. “They (the contractors) need to be held accountable.”