UPDATED: D15 Bus Driver Involved in Hit-and-Run

UPDATED: Tuesday, April 9 at 7:20 p.m. 

A District 15 bus driver was involved in a hit-and-run accident Monday morning near Euclid and Parkside Drive on Palatine's west end.

Commander Kurt Schroeder said the bus driver was a 44-year-old man from Elgin. 

The incident occurred at 7:49 a.m. Monday and the bus was southbound on Parkside Drive at a stop sign at Euclid when he realized he was sticking out too far, Schroeder said. 

When the driver reversed to avoid oncoming traffic on Euclid, he struck a 2012 Hyundai Elantra, driven by a 59-year-old Palatine woman who was behind the bus. 

The bus driver did not stop, and instead continued on to Plum Grove Jr. High while the driver in the Elantra followed.  

When the bus  arrived at the school, the bus driver told Palatine Police he was not aware that he had hit anything. 

Schroeder said no citations were issued. 

EARLIER:

District 15 Superintendent Scott Thompson confirmed early Tuesday the accident occurred involving bus #11, and that two students complained of pain resulting from the accident.

He added that parents of students who were thought to be injured were notified and encouraged to seek medical attention.  

"We did receive a report that a bus driver backed into a car. Typical protocol is that the bus driver would stay at the scene until police arrive and the children are checked for injuries, and that did not happen," Thompson said. 

The accident occurred just after 7:30 a.m. Monday. 

The bus driver, Thompson said, immediately after the accident proceeded to drive the bus containing 28 students to Plum Grove Junior High School. 

A District 15 parents whose son was on the bus at the time of the incident said her child and all of the students were pulled out of class between first and second period Monday. They were then questioned by Tom Bramley, director of transportation, along with the school nurse, the parent said.

The parent says she was not notified by the school of the incident, but did speak to the parent of a child who was injured in the accident, who said she was contacted by the school and told to take her child to the hospital to get checked for injuries. 

Thompson said District 15 will continue to investigate the accident, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against the driver. 

Palatine police say they have no record of the incident, and calls to Rolling Meadows police have not yet been returned.

A 44 year old driver (from Elgin) of a 2010 IC Schoolbus was S/B Parkside drive at the stop sign at Euclid when he realized he was sticking out too far. he put it in reverse and struck a 2012 Hyundai Elantra driven by a 59 year old Palatine woman. He then continued on his route to Plum Grove Jr. High with the driver of the Elantra following.  At the school he told officers that he was unaware that he struck anything. Upon police arrival, all the students had already disembarked the bus.  This all happened at 7:49 AM on April 8th. No citations were issued. Please call if you need anything else.