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Highlands Today

Car Rams Hopewell School Bus

No One Injured

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: October 17, 2007

SEBRING — A 93-year-old driver rear-ended a Highlands County school bus with six children on board, bound for Hopewell Academy Tuesday morning. No one was injured.

The children were ages 11 to 13. Hopewell Principal Kevin Dewberry was glad none of the fourth-and-fifth-graders were hurt.

Sebring Police Cmdr. Steve Carr said the bus was stopped on northbound U.S. 27, in the left turning lane at Golfview Drive, when a 2002 Kia, driven by Donald Lesh, of Sebring, slammed into the bus.

The car sustained $4,000 in damage and $500 damage to the bus.
The bus was driven by James Theodore Smith, 65, of Sebring.
The car slid under the bus up to its windshield, Carr said. Fortunately, he was wearing a seat belt and the car stopped where it did.

"Mr. Lesh was looking at the light and didn't notice the bus was stopped," Carr said.
Sebring police officer Ray Wilson issued Lesh two citations, one charging him with careless driving and the other for driving with an expired tag.

Carlene Varnes, Highlands County School Board operations manager, said none of the children were in the back of the bus.
She couldn't say if they were all belted in because she wasn't on scene until later, but she said seat belts are installed on the bus.

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