Bus leaving Hudson’s Bay drives partway down embankment in crash

No students were injured after a bus leaving Hudson’s Bay High School drove partway down an embankment following a crash Monday afternoon.

A Vancouver Public Schools bus with 14 students on board was involved in a collision at Fruit Valley Road and Northwest 61st Street about 2:35 p.m., according to a district spokeswoman. Students were heading home after school. No one was injured in the crash.

Vancouver Police Department spokeswoman Kim Kapp said another vehicle, a red Ford Focus, was involved in the crash, and appeared to have struck the bus head-on, judging by the front-end damage to the car.

That driver declined medical assistance, Kapp said.

Jaszmin Madrigal, 16, and Vanessa Jaimes, 14, were both riding the bus, and said they weren’t clear on what happened. They heard a loud noise, followed by some swerving and screeching.

Then they were halfway off the road.

“If it wasn’t for this huge tree, we would have gone down the hill,” Madrigal said.

They were among the last people on board the bus, they said. They had almost gotten to the final stop on the route.

Another bus came to pick up other students, and district staff showed up and contacted parents.

Fruit Valley Road was blocked as investigators worked and crews towed away the car and bus.