December 15, 1980

School bus, truck collide

       A Center Grove school bus and an Indianapolis milk truck collided early today on snow covered State Road 135 about a half a mile south of Smith Valley Road, according to Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputies. The school bus was empty except for the driver who was injured. The driver of the milk truck was also injured. Injuries reported to by minor and both were taken to St. Francis Hospital Center, Beech Grove, where they were treated. A nurse said she did not expect them to be admitted. The accident was reported at 8:11 a.m. according to police, the milk truck, owned by Banquet Ice Cream and Milk Co. and driven by Harrell Sanders, 23, Indianapolis, was headed south on the highway when it crossed the center line and struck the bus driven by Betty L. Ruth, 38, 4387 Southway Road, Greenwood. The truck started so slide on the slick roadway and hit the bus as both crested a hill, police said. Ms. Ruth suffered a leg injury while Sanders suffered a wrist injury, police said. Police reported finding some defects on the truck and planned to issue Sanders a ticket for driving an unsafe vehicle. The bus was headed for the Eldorado I subdivision to pick up children for school when the accident occurred, police said.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

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