Angela Spiker, David Coufal Obituary, Death – Authorities have confirmed the identities of the five individuals who lost their lives in a tragic collision between a school bus and a semitruck on a rural Illinois highway. The eastbound bus from Schuyler-Industry Schools veered into westbound U.S. Route 24 for reasons unknown, leading to a collision with a sand-carrying semi. The vehicles caught fire upon impact, resulting in the deaths of all four individuals on the bus – three children and the driver – as well as the truck driver.
The children have been identified as 5-year-old Maria Miller, 3-year-old Andrew Miller, and 3-year-old Noah Driscoll, all from Rushville. The bus driver was Angela Spiker, 57, from Rushville, while the truck driver was David Coufal, 72, from Browning.
The tragic incident has deeply affected the small community of Rushville, with Sheriff Bill Redshaw expressing the difficulty in finding words to describe the loss of life. Schuyler-Industry Schools have canceled classes following the crash, mourning the loss of both staff and students.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway by the National Transportation Safety Board and state police. Autopsies will be conducted in Springfield.