Illinois police identify the three kids and two drivers killed when a school bus hit a semitruck

In this image made from video provided by Illinois State Police Troop 6, Illinois State Police Capt. Jody Huffman, at podium, speaks during a news conference about the five people, including three children, who were killed Monday, March 11, 2024, after a school bus and semitruck collided on a highway in western Illinois. (Illinois State Police Troop 6 via AP)

RUSHVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Authorities have identified the five people killed in a fiery collision between a school bus and semitruck on a highway in rural Illinois, including two 3-year-olds, a 5-year-old and both drivers.

The eastbound bus from Schuyler-Industry Schools crossed into westbound U.S. Route 24 “for an unknown reason” Monday and into the path of a semi carrying sand, according to the state police’s preliminary findings.

Both vehicles “became engulfed in flames” after colliding, which happened at around 11:30 a.m. in Rushville, a Schuyler County community of about 3,000 roughly 60 miles (95 kilometers) west of Springfield, the agency said. All four people aboard the bus — three children and the driver — were killed, as was the truck’s driver.

The county coroner identified the children as 5-year-old Maria Miller, 3-year-old Andrew Miller and 3-year-old Noah Driscoll, all from Rushville, state police said. The agency didn’t say if the Millers were related. The bus driver was identified as Angela Spiker, 57, of Rushville, and the truck driver as David Coufal, 72, who was from the nearby village of Browning.

Sheriff Bill Redshaw told reporters Monday that the tragedy hit the small community hard.

“There’s not really words at this time that can be said,” he said. “When you have a loss of life like this, it’s devastating.”

Schuyler-Industry Schools canceled classes Tuesday and Wednesday because of the crash.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce our school community has lost both staff and students in the traffic incident involving one of our school buses this morning,” the school district said in a statement.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by a National Transportation Safety Board team and state police, the Illinois agency announced.

Autopsies will be performed in Springfield, the coroner said.