Students about to get off a Brainerd school bus escaped injury after a truck rear-ended their bus. Their driver is being praised by the district for his alertness behind the wheel.

According to a State Patrol report, the incident happened on Highway 210 in Sylvan Township, about 11 miles west of Brainerd, around 4 PM Monday. The school bus was traveling westbound when it began to stop to allow children off the bus.

A representative for the Brainerd School District said that school bus driver Andrew Lawrence Doucette, 21 of Brainerd, was “very heads up” and noticed that the Ford truck behind the bus was not going to be able to stop in time. Doucette did not let the students get off the bus while at the stop. The truck driven by Scott Lee Hudson, 61 of Motley, hit the back of the bus.

The Brainerd School District representative said the bus was near the end of its route. The five children on board were not injured in the incident.

Hudson was taken to St. Josephs with non-life threatening injuries. He was wearing his seat belt and alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash.

By — Mal Meyer