Illinois school bus crash victims identified: Five people, including siblings aged three and five, killed when
- David Coufal, 72; Angela Spiker, 57; Maria Miller, 5; Andrew Miller, 3; and Noah Driscoll, 3 were all killed in the accident
- Spiker was driving the bus when she drifted into oncoming traffic, colliding with a truck driven by Coufal
- All five victims were declared dead at the scene
By Mackenzie Tatananni For Dailymail.Com[1]
Published: 05:40, 12 March 2024 | Updated: 11:09, 12 March 2024
The five people, including three children, who were killed in a fiery head-on collision involving a school bus and a semi-truck in Illinois[2] have been identified.
The victims were named as 72-year-old David Coufal of Browning; 57-year-old Angela Spiker of Rushville; five-year-old Maria Miller and three-year-old Andrew Miller of Rushville; and three-year-old Noah Driscoll of Rushville.
Spiker's brother, Scott Waterman, confirmed on Facebook[3] that his sister was driving the bus when she drifted into the lane of an oncoming truck.
'Lord God, please be with my family tonight as we deal with a terrible tragedy. We lost my loving little sister today,' he wrote.
'She was driving a small school bus and today she had 3 children on board for some reason she drifted into the lane of an oncoming semi and they hit head on. There were no survivors.'
Siblings Maria Miller, 5, and Andrew Miller, 3, were killed in a fiery crash on a highway in western Illinois
Angela Spiker, 57, was driving a Schuyler-Industry Schools bus with three children on board when she veered into oncoming traffic
The bus collided with a semi-truck driven by 72-year-old David Coufal. Both vehicles burst into flames
The bus was traveling west on U.S.
Route 24[4] at Parkview Road around 11:30 am Monday when it veered and hit the truck, which was driven by Coufal. Both vehicles burst into flames.
The crash occurred in Rushville, a small city about 60 miles outside Springfield. All five victims were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Illinois State Police.
'There's not really words at this time that can be said,' Schuyler County Sheriff Bill Redshaw said at a press conference Monday afternoon. 'When you have a loss of life like this, it's devastating.'
All three children on board the school bus were pre-K students at Schuyler-Industry Schools.
The district posted a message to social media Monday afternoon.
'It is with a heavy heart that we announce our school community has lost both staff and students in the traffic incident involving one of our school buses this morning,' the statement read. 'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and our community.'
School was cancelled through Wednesday, March 13. The district plans to offer counselors and support staff for students and teachers.
Life Family Church in Virginia, Illinois launched a fundraiser to support the Miller family.
'It's with great sadness that we have to bring this news to you today,' the church wrote on social media. 'Maria and Andrew Miller were in a fatal accident on their way to school.'
The accident also claimed the life of 3-year-old Noah Driscoll.
All five victims were pronounced dead at the scene
The Miller siblings' mother, Sarah, described them as 'blessings' on social media
'Lord God, please be with my family tonight as we deal with a terrible tragedy,' Spiker's older brother wrote on social media
All victims were residents of Rushville, with the exception of Coufal, who hailed from the village of Browning
Life Family Church in Virginia, Illinois organized a fundraiser for the Miller family in the wake of the tragedy
The post urged community members to pray for the siblings' mother Sarah, who described them as 'blessings' on her own Facebook page.
Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly issued a statement encouraging community members to keep the families in their thoughts 'as they try to heal.'
'Today's crash in Rushville is something no parent or family should have to face,' Kelly said. 'Our hearts ache for the families involved and the community feeling this tragic loss.'
Rushville city officials asked residents and business owners to fly flags at half-staff to honor those killed in the accident.
For those without a flag were encouraged to leave a porch light on to show support for the victims' loved ones.
IllinoisFacebook[5][6]