Jefferson Elementary School Principal Joyce Mininger, right, walks through the scene where a passenger car collided with a Port Angeles School District bus at 10th and Peabody streets in Port Angeles on Tuesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Jefferson Elementary School Principal Joyce Mininger, right, walks through the scene where a passenger car collided with a Port Angeles School District bus at 10th and Peabody streets in Port Angeles on Tuesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Port Angeles school bus hit; injuries minor, say authorities

PORT ANGELES — A girl in elementary school and two adults were transported to Olympic Medical Center on Tuesday afternoon with minor injuries after a four-door sedan collided with a special-needs school bus at 10th and Peabody streets in Port Angeles, police said.

Authorities said the car driver allegedly sped through a stop sign.

Five children were on the Port Angeles School District bus for Jefferson and Franklin elementary schools, which almost tipped over, Port Angeles Fire Department Capt. Jamie Mason and Assistant Police Chief Jason Viada said.

The fire department received the emergency call about the collision at 2:01 p.m., Mason said.

“I did not see anything real bad,” Mason said. “[The girl] was alert and talking to us. She was just transported out of caution.”

Viada said in an email that the girl, who was not identified, had a possible concussion.

Mark Almaden, 39, of Port Angeles was the driver of the four-door 2004 silver Hyundai.

Almaden suffered a possible head injury, Viada said.

Viada said Almaden’s female passenger, who was not identified, was transported to OMC with a possible leg injury.

Viada said he did not have more information on the conditions of the girl and two adults.

Almaden is under investigation for alleged failure to stop at a stop sign, negligent driving, reckless driving and vehicular assault, Viada said in an email.

“The investigation to determine which laws were broken is ongoing,” he said.

Viada said in an email that, according to a witness, Almaden was speeding westbound on 10th Street when he ignored a stop sign and hit the school bus.

The bus driver was traveling northbound on Peabody at 10th Street, where there is no stop sign for northbound drivers, when it was broadsided by the vehicle, Viada and Mason said.

Viada said the bus rotated almost 180 degrees and came to rest north of the intersection.

“The bus driver, he thought it was going over, and it ended up not,” Mason said.

“It was a pretty good impact on the right side of the bus.”

________

Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Voters approving all Peninsula school measures

Sequim bond passing with required supermajority

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Clallam County election workers Neva Miller, right, and Debbie Kracht, both of Sequim, open election ballots on Tuesday at the courthouse in Port Angeles.
Ballot sorting in Port Angeles

Clallam County election workers Neva Miller, right, and Debbie Kracht, both of… Continue reading

Jefferson County board to select interim sheriff

Chosen candidate will serve until next election

State funding challenges dominate legislative conversations

Multiple bills may have local relevance

PA’s Platypus Marine looks to expansion

Growth benefits local economy

Port of Port Angeles updates delegation of authority

Debt collections, Amazon site among other business

Matthew Nash / Olympic Peninsula News Group
Rick Godfrey stands with his Boy Scouts of America achievements on his office’s wall, including his merit badges and Troop 490 photos. In 1950, he was the youngest scout in the state to earn his Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting. The troop celebrated 100 years at a special dinner on Saturday at the Sequim Masonic Lodge.
Sequim troop celebrates centennial with dinner

Scout organization began in 1925 in a Sunday school class

Jefferson County board takes on transportation benefit district

Tax, license fee expected to bring in $1 million

Clallam County commissioners discuss reservoir design

Consensus reached on two-cell option

Firefighters respond to a house fire at West Sixth Street and Cherry Street on Friday in Port Angeles. (Port Angeles Fire Department)
Home destroyed in Port Angeles house fire

Residents escaped a house fire at West Sixth Street… Continue reading

Five workshops to repair broken items set this spring

JeffCo Repair will sponsor five workshops where fixers will… Continue reading

Kathy Cruz/Olympic Peninsula News Group
Mary Montgomery-Crumley dishes up helpings of salad at “Soup’s On.” Lunch also included a biscuit, two versions of minestrone soup, one vegetarian, one with chicken, and chocolate chip butterscotch bars.
‘Soup’s On’ free lunch at St. Luke’s draws varied crowd of helpers, diners

Melissa, a member of Sequim’s Friends Together, a group that… Continue reading