148 people were evaluated by paramedics and 17 of them were hospitalized after three buses filled with camp kids and a dump truck crashed in Libertyville.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Libertyville Fire Department responded around 11 a.m. Thursday to Route 137 and River Road for a four-vehicle crash.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that three buses carrying children from North Suburban YMCA Summer Camp in Northbrook were involved.
Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that 148 people, including campers ages 5-14, counselors and four drivers were evaluated.
At least 17 of them were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Covelli said the three school buses were westbound on Route 137 and a 1998 Mack Truck carrying a 2016 Dierzen trailer, driven by a 44-year-old Elgin man, was behind the buses.
“The buses began to slow for traffic in front of them, however, the driver of the Mack was unable to slow in time.ย The front of the Mack Truck struck the rear of the first school bus, which pushed that school bus into the second school bus, and the second school bus into the third,” Covelli said.
Parents were asked by the sheriff’s office not to pickup the kids from the scene and were instead told to call 847-272-7250 for more info.
Citations have not been issued but are expected to be for the driver of the dump truck, police said.