A Romeoville, Illinois, man was arrested in connection to a four-vehicle crash Thursday in which several people with the New Prairie High School baseball team were injured.
The LaPorte County Sheriff’s office responded to a crash around 3:15 p.m. CT May 8 involving a commercial motor vehicle, a single-axe box truck and two New Prairie schools mini buses, the sheriffs office said in a statement on Facebook. The crash occurred in Kankakee Township, north of LaPorte, at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Fail Road.
Shawn Wesly Russell Akison, 41, was driving a box truck west on U.S. 20 in a “reckless manner” and was approaching the intersection at Fail Road when he crashed into a commercial motor vehicle and two of the school’s mini-buses, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook statement. Toxicology tests are pending, the sheriff’s office said.
Prior to the crash, the St. Joseph County Police Department attempted to stop the box truck at the intersection of Indiana 2 and Timothy Road, but the driver didn’t yield, LaPorte County police said. St. Joseph County police continued the pursuit to the county line before terminating the pursuit, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s office said.
At 3:13 p.m., a LaPorte County officer was dispatched on the report of a box truck driver driving recklessly at Indiana 2 and U.S. 20, the sheriff’s office said. By 3:16 p.m., officers were responding to the four-vehicle crash, they said.
LaPorte County’s Capt. Andy Hynek confirmed Friday morning that although Akison has not been charged by the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s office at this time, a judge has set a $15,005.00 cash-only bond based on a bond schedule issued by the judge. Akison is currently being held at the LaPorte County Jail.
Who was hurt in the crash?
Two coaches and seven student junior varsity athletes who were scheduled to play against Hobart High School were injured in the crash. The Hobart High School Athletic Department confirmed in a Facebook post the game was canceled, as well as the varsity game between the two schools set to occur at New Prairie High School.
Several victims were treated at the scene and others were transported to the hospital, police said. “One student-athlete was airlifted from the scene and transported to a regional hospital for treatment,” the sheriff’s office said.
New Prairie High School’s Lucas Bradshaw, sophomore, has a “long road to healing in front of him,” the school’s baseball team said in a Facebook post on May 9.
“Our players, coaches, and families went through a lot yesterday,” the post said. “We ask that you continue to hold our team in positive hope and healing. We need it.”
Coach, school board member hospitalized
Along with Bradshaw, volunteer junior varsity baseball coach and school board member Rich Shail remains hospitalized.
Nancy Shail said the most serious injuries sustained by her husband were a fractured vertebrae and broken ribs.
She said her husband was taken by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, where Bradshaw was airlifted.
Shail said the hope is her husband’s vertebrae will heal with him just wearing a brace and receiving other treatment without having to undergo surgery because “it didn’t crack all the way through.”
“We’re moving along with trying to get him up and out of bed today,” she said.
Shail said her husband and Bradshaw were on the same bus that was stopped for a traffic light behind the other bus when the box truck struck the rear of their bus and pushed it into the bus in front of them.
“The coaches and kids on the bus, I mean, nobody saw this coming,” she said.
Shail said her husband has been a volunteer coach on the team for several years.
“He just loves it,” she said. “He loves the game. He loves being with the kids and that’s why he has volunteered always to help.”
Shail said everyone else from the team taken to the hospital was later released.
“There were walking wounded,” she said. “Some required stitches or staples. Broken bones, so they (have) braces and stuff like that. That’s all I know.”
Shail chose not to discuss the injuries sustained by Bradshaw out of respect for him and his family.
According to the school’s website, the junior varsity team’s next three games, on May 9, 10 and 12, have been canceled. The varsity team’s game against Hanover Central High School is still scheduled for 10 a.m. CT May 10 at New Prairie.
Sheriff’s office seeks public assistance
Police said a commercial motor vehicle was also involved in the accident but they chose not to release further specifics yet about the collisions.
“The crash is under investigation and will have to be reconstructed before we release further details on the chain of events leading up to the crash,” LaPorte County Police Capt. Derek Allen said.
The sheriff’s office asks that anyone with dash camera footage of the incident or who witnessed the incident contact the detective chief Capt. Andy Hynek at ahynek@lcso.in.gov.
Tribune correspondent Stan Maddux contributed to this report.
Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Arrest made in crash with New Prairie school buses that injured 2 coaches, 7 students
Reporting by Camille Sarabia, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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