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Pickup hits school bus in Underwood – no serious injuries

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January 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Pottawattamie County say there were no serious injuries reported after a pickup truck struck an Underwood Community School District bus Monday morning. The accident happened at around 9:40-a.m. at the intersection of 270th Street and Elmtree Road. Sheriff Jeff Danker told the Daily NonPareil says the bus driven by 46-year old Joel Phillips, of McClelland, was carrying students to Underwood Community Schools, when an eastbound black Chevy pickup driven by 16-year old  Austin Hiers, of Council Bluffs, allegedly ran a stop sign. Hiers’ truck was struck on its right side by the bus. The pickup then left the roadway and went down an embankment into a yard.

Underwood schools, like many in the area, were starting two hours late Monday, due to the bitterly cold conditions.

The paper reports the front bumper of the bus was bent in, limiting the movement of the wheel, so another bus was called in to take the children to school. A tow truck was able to bend the bumper back out using its winch, which made the bus driveable again. The pickup truck sustained extensive damage to its right side. Hiers was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign.