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Craig football team escapes crash without injuries

NEWVILLE — A bus carrying the Janesville Craig High School football team was involved in a five-vehicle crash Friday on Interstate 90/39 near Newville. The accident closed the highway’s northbound lanes for several hours, stalling traffic and delaying the team’s game at Middleton.

No one was injured in the 5 p.m. accident, Wisconsin State Patrol officials said, and the interstate reopened four hours later.

The bus was driving north in the left lane when traffic suddenly halted for an unknown reason, causing the bus to rear-end a Pontiac Bonneville, which then rear-ended a Kia passenger car, state patrol officials said.

Meanwhile, in the right lane, a tractor-trailer rear-ended a garbage truck after both vehicles braked hard, state patrol officials said. The tractor-trailer also hit the Bonneville, which had drifted into the right lane.

Dennis Laws, a long-time driver for Van Galder Bus Company, said he could not avoid the car, but the bus was going slow enough that it sustained only minor damage to the bumper, said Sheryl Miller, the public information specialist for the Janesville School District.

The bus was still drivable, but Van Galder sent a second bus to the scene as a precautionary move, Miller said.

The players and coaches were transferred to the second bus and proceeded to Middleton, where the football game started about an hour late.

Parents of the players were notified. Parental permission was needed to allow each of the minor players to leave the accident scene. Members of the Janesville Board of Education also were contacted.

After the crash, northbound traffic was diverted at Highway 26 in Janesville. Vehicles were backed up for miles.

Firefighters, medical personnel and state patrol investigators responded to the scene.

The tractor-trailer, which blocked both lanes, had to be unloaded and towed. The two passenger cars and garbage truck also had to be towed.

The interstate reopened at about 9 p.m.