Five Killed as Charter Bus Slams into Stalled Semi

OSSEO, Wis. (Oct. 17, 2005) - A charter bus returning from a band competition that collided with a semi and killed five passengers including the driver, who investigators determined was operating the vehicle without prescription glasses.  About 50 students from the Chippewa Falls High School band were also onboard. 

In addition to 78-year-old driver Paul Rasmus, the other four passengers killed were the high school's band director, his wife, their 11-year-old granddaughter and one of the school's teachers.

At least thirty others were injured with 24 of them transported to nearby hospitals.  A commander of the Wisconsin State Patrol said injuries ranged from serious to non-life threatening. The police also discovered that Rasmus was not wearing eyeglasses required by his CDL.

The Chippewa Trails motor coach involved in the collision was the first in line of four charter buses returning students and adult chaperones from a weekend band competition at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The company also operates Chippewa Yellow School Bus and contracts with the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District.

According to the Wisconsin State Police accident report, the Whole Foods truck veered off the road for a distance of several hundred feet.  When the driver tried to correct the rig back onto the highway the truck jackknifed, rolled over and came to rest blocking both lanes of westbound traffic. The bus driver had virtually no time to take evasive action and slammed into the stalled semi.