A crash between a school bus and a pick-up truck snarled traffic on Highway 62 during the morning commute today. There were no children on the school bus, and two minor injuries. Thomas Knie, 69, of El Toro, was driving his 2002 Chevy pick-up truck eastbound on Highway 62. A school bus, driven by Cassie Bastrup, 28, of Joshua Tree, (with passenger Deliah Cleary, 58, of Twentynine Palms) was traveling northbound on La Contenta, approaching the traffic signal at La Contenta and Highway 62.
The CHP reports that preliminary information suggests Bastrup had a green light for the intersection. As she drove through the intersection, the CHP says Knie ran the red light and T-boned the bus, knocking it onto its right side, and blocking both westbound lanes of the highway. Firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate Knie from the pick-up truck. Knie was taken to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs with minor injuries; firefighters report a woman was treated at the scene and released. Highway traffic was diverted in both directions while Sheriff’s deputies and rescue personnel were at the scene. The Sheriff’s Department is investigating.
Video Courtesy: Ken Large
