Centralia woman injured in school bus crash east of Columbia

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Centralia woman was injured in a school bus crash Thursday afternoon that closed a state highway.

The Boone County Fire Protection District said firefighters were called just after 3 p.m. to a crash between a car and a school bus on Route Z near Judy School Road. Route Z was closed in both directions, according to the fire district.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, an SUV driven by Carla Clark, 65, was traveling northbound when it crossed the center line and collided with the bus. Both vehicle traveled off the side of the road.

Clark was taken to a hospital in Columbia with moderate injuries.

Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said a car hit a bus leaving Two Mile Prairie Elementary School. Baumstark said students are safe and school district staff is getting a count of how many were on board.

Students were being assessed and released to parents or to ride another bus that can take them home, Baumstark said.

The highway reopened before 5 p.m.