11 kids hurt when car hits bus carrying Pierce County elementary students
About 11 Franklin-Pierce School District students were injured after a sedan struck the school bus they were in Friday morning.
The sedan struck a school bus carrying 32 students headed to Collins Elementary School at 128th Street East in the Clover Creek area, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson deputy Carly Cappetto told The News Tribune.
Ten students were taken to a hospital with minor injuries. One student was taken to a hospital by their parents, she said. One student may have serious injuries, but it is too early to know, Cappetto said.
The driver of the sedan has minor injuries, Cappetto said. He is considered at fault for the crash.
The students on board the bus were likely between the ages of 6 and 11, according to district spokesperson Joel Zylstra. The district sent an additional, empty bus to transport the bus driver and the remaining uninjured students to Collins Elementary, he said.
A decision has not been made about whether the driver of the car will face arrest or a citation. The investigation is ongoing, Cappetto said.
Staff writer Isha Trivedi contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 9, 2026 at 11:25 AM.
