Posted online at 7:48 a.m. Thursday

A man killed Wednesday night after he reportedly fled the scene of a hit-and-run crash with a school bus has been identified as Donald Earl Auburn, 81.

Auburn was a Vaughn resident, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Thursday morning.

Auburn veered into oncoming traffic while driving along the Key Peninsula Highway near 144th Street about 4:50 p.m. He hit a Kia Spectra and died at the scene, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department reported.

The Spectra’s driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injur-ies.

Minutes before the deadly crash, investigators believe Auburn hit a school bus at the Purdy exit off Highway 16. Witnesses reported seeing Auburn’s Honda drive away from the accident, going 60 to 70 mph with steam coming from the car, deputies said.

Stacey Mulick, The News Tribune