School Bus Slides Off Muddy Road in Phillips County; No Injuries Reported

A school bus carrying two juvenile passengers slid off a muddy road and struck a tree Thursday morning in Phillips County, but no injuries were reported.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol Crash Log, the crash happened at approximately 6:45 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, on Early Eve Road, about 6.3 miles west of U.S. Highway 183.

KHP reports a 2015 Thomas school bus was traveling westbound on Early Eve Road when the driver lost control due to muddy road conditions. The bus slid off the roadway into the north ditch, where it struck a tree before coming to a stop facing northwest.

The driver, identified by KHP as 38-year-old Kim Michelle Ellenberger of Glade, Kansas, was not injured. Two juvenile passengers aboard the bus were also uninjured.

According to the crash report, the driver and both students were able to safely exit the bus following the crash. The driver was wearing a safety restraint at the time.

The bus is associated with USD 326, which arranged for its own tow following the accident.

The Kansas Highway Patrol classified the crash as a non-injury accident. No other vehicles were involved.