Car collides with school bus in Urbana

No one was seriously hurt when a car collided with a school bus loaded with students near Urbana Tuesday morning.

According to authorities, Franklin Stephenson, 42, of Center Point, had stopped the Center Point-Urbana school bus to pick up a rider on 55

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Street Trail about a mile southeast of Urbana at around 8 a.m. when a car driven by Brandon Jess, 14, of Center Point, rear-ended the bus.

Benton County Sheriff Randy Forsyth said that around 50 t0 55 students in grades K-12 were on the bus at the time of the collision, but none of them, nor Stephenson, were harmed in the accident.

Jess was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center for minor injuries.

Benton County Sheriff Deputy Michael Ferguson said the sun blinded Jess, causing the wreck.

"The bus was stopped, had its lights on and had its stop arm out," Ferguson said.

The car was wedged underneath the rear of the bus, nearly to the windshield. Only the bumper appeared damaged on the bus.

Forsyth said that Jess had a school permit and that he was on his designated route to school.

He also said that any charges against Jess were still pending.