NTSB lists its goals in deadly Reedsburg school bus wreck inquiry

WASHINGTON (WMTV) – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) detailed Monday afternoon what its investigators will look for as the agency investigators the school bus crash in Reedsburg that claimed the life of a middle school student.

Evelyn Gurney died early Friday morning after she was hit by a pickup truck that had swerved to avoid the school bus that had stopped to pick her up. The Sauk Co. Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the crash; however, two NTSB agents will work alongside the Sheriff’s Office on their own independent safety investigation, a spokesperson for the federal agency said.

NTSB’s Jennifer Gabris explained its concerns will center around safety of school bus routes and stops, in general. They will also be looking into how drivers respond when approaching stopped buses and technologies that could reduce the severity of crashes when children are boarding and getting off the bus. According to Gabris, their inquiry is expected to last between one to two years, but a preliminary report should come in three weeks. Anyone who saw the crash or has information relevant to the NTSB’s investigation is urged to reach out to the agency by email at witness@ntsb.gov.

“Although school buses are extremely safe, we have investigated school bus crashes in which children were injured and, in some cases, died, and identified areas in which safety improvements are needed,” an NTSB webpage about school bus safety stated. The agency reported 1,009 deadly school transportation-related wrecks from 2011 to 2020.

The Wisconsin hockey community is mourning the loss of a middle schooler who was killed... — The Wisconsin hockey community is mourning the loss of a middle schooler who was killed boarding a school bus.

On Monday, students, teachers, and the staff at Webb Middle School returned to class, many of them wearing blue to honor Gurney. Students had the opportunity to place memorials in the trophy cases in the middle school’s cafeteria lobby. Items placed there will remain in the cases for the rest of the school year.

Gurney was a hockey player and teammate with the Wisconsin Blue Devils. Her jersey number was 42. Teammates of Gurney started a Goals for Gurney GoFundMe for her family that has raised upwards of $70,000 as of Monday morning.