Multiple injured when semi crashes into school bus in Kosciusko County

 

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY, Ind. - A terrifying crash in Kosciusko County Saturday night landed a semi-truck driver behind bars and left 16 teenagers and coaches injured, some of whom were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Officials say just after 8 p.m. on Saturday night, they got reports of a semi-truck speeding and swerving in and out of lanes while heading west on U.S. 30 in Warsaw.

Just minutes later, police say the driver of the semi ran a red light at the intersection of U.S. 30 and Center Street, striking a school bus full of teenage hockey players from St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago. The JV hockey team of mostly 15-year-olds and two coaches were in town for a weekend tournament.

The impact flipped the school bus on its side, ejecting one of the players and leaving 16 of them on board injured, three of them with serious injuries.

Warsaw Police was assisted by several local agencies responding to the chaotic scene.

As of right now, officials said all those students that were taken to the hospital are in stable condition.

Police believe the driver of the semi, 58-year-old Victor Santos, had been drinking and is now facing multiple charges.

Victor Santos is under investigation right now for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

According to the Warsaw Police Department, Santos failed a standard field sobriety test and refused to submit to a chemical test.

A search warrant was applied for and granted to take blood from the suspect.

According to records, Santos is a convicted felon and registered sex offender.

After he spent seven years in prison, he started a trucking company called Junior Freight Lines Inc., which has since been dissolved.

Santos has received multiple moving violations in Illinios, Indiana, and Ohio while operating a semi.

According to the Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the company Santos worked for, N&V Trucking LLC, had no previous violations for drivers operating while under the influence.

The semi involved in the accident had recently passed a vehicle inspection back in June.

The company has been issued two unsafe driving violations this year.

ABC57 reached out to the owner of N&V Trucking, Noris Delgado, and she will not comment until she has more information from the police.

She is waiting to see if Santos gets charged.