Random Lake residents try to understand Monday's school bus crash

RANDOM LAKE, Wisconsin – The community of Random Lake is still trying to understand the school bus crash that sent several students to the hospital Monday morning.

I spent the morning in the surrounding neighborhoods and networked with residents.

“I have received countless text messages from many, many friends and family members asking if my daughter and grandchildren are OK,” Jackie Jentges said, choking on breath.

When Jentges spoke to me, she was still very emotional. She had woken up worried about her family's safety.

She has four grandchildren who attend the Random Lake school system. Her daughter also works for the county's transportation department and had nothing but positive things to say about the bus driver.

“This has affected the whole community, and it's a close-knit community,” Jentges noted. “Everyone looks after each other.”

Watch: Random Lake residents try to make sense of Monday's school bus crash

“This affected the whole community”: Neighbours react to bush crash at school

Several community members stopped by town and asked if I had any further information about the crash.

What we know so far:

A Jeep allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into the bus carrying 36 students in the city of Fredonia around 7:30 a.m. Monday.

The bus overturned and landed in the ditch. The students were immediately evacuated via the emergency exits.

Eight students and the driver were hospitalized with various injuries. None of the injured were in critical condition and all are expected to survive, the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department said.

The investigation is ongoing.

Sheboygan County resident Tony Medinger was helping a friend with yard work in the Random Lake area when he heard the news of the crash.

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

“I saw the pictures of it lying on its side after all the children had been taken away,” he explained. “The poor parents when they heard about it. I'm sure they were happy to be reunited with their children and to make sure they were OK.”

The Sheriff's Department said the driver of the vehicle cooperated with officers and did not appear impaired or distracted at the time of the accident.

For now, Jentges asks everyone to think of the students and their families and to pray for them.

“Hopefully they can overcome this. Because I don't know how old or how young some of the kids were, but anyone who has an accident … lives with that fear.”

It's time to pay attention to your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Report a typo or error // Send a news tip