Update: 3 Children Receive Minor Injuries in School Bus-Van Collision in Pillager

Update 2-12-24: Pillager School Superintendent Mike Malmberg tells Lakeland News the bus was from Fornshell Transportation, with whom they contract their busing. Both the driver of the bus and the van were wearing seat belts, and the State Patrol says alcohol was not involved in the crash.

Original Story: Two adults and three children were injured today after a school bus collided with a van near Pillager.

The Minnesota State Patrol reports that just before eight this morning, a school bus carrying 34 juveniles was traveling west on Highway 210 at 37th Avenue SW in Sylvan Township. The bus tried to turn south onto Cass County Road 1 and made contact with a van heading east on Highway 210 that was hauling a trailer.

The bus driver, 73-year-old John Peterson of Cushing, and the driver of the van, 45-year-old Jeremy Trebesch of Pillager, were taken to Lakewood Health. Both had non-life-threatening injuries.

Three children on the bus received minor injuries. None needed to be taken to the hospital.

Road conditions were snowy and icy at the time of the crash.