BELL COUNTY (February 22, 2012)—A study of the intersection of FM 93 and Old Highway 95 that was the scene of a deadly crash involving an Academy ISD school bus in January recommends some changes, but rules out a traffic light.
The crash on Jan. 17 sent 29 students and three adults to local hospitals.
The most seriously injured of the victims, veteran bus driver James Johnson, 71, died Feb. 15 at Scott & White Hospital in Temple.
Student Haley Johannsen, 14, was left paralyzed and is now at a rehabilitation facility in Fort Worth.
An online petition drive was launched the day after the accident calling for precautions at the highway intersection where the crash occurred including speed bumps, flashing sights and a flashing light.
Organizer Melissa Powell called the petition "4 The Sake of Our Children," and said in an e-mail the effort is on behalf of the students, their families and the bus driver.
Nearly 900 people have signed it.
"The rumble bumps will help also they're talking about moving the stop ahead sign forward and possibly adding another sign that shows there's an oncoming intersection," Powell said.
"The rumble bumps will help (and) also they're talking about moving the stop ahead sign forward and possibly adding another sign that shows there's an oncoming intersection," Powell said Wednesday.
Powell said she still wants to get flashing lights on the stop signs and says many members of the community have come forward who are willing to help fund the effort.
The bus was on FM 93 and the Lowes truck was southbound on Old Highway 95 at around 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 17 when the driver of the truck ran a stop sign, the Department of Public Safety said.
The truck driver was later cited for failure to observe the stop sign at the intersection, but the Department of Public Safety said last week it was meeting with the Bell County District Attorney’s Office to discuss whether additional charges should be filed in the driver’s death.
There was fog in the area at the time of the accident, but it's not clear whether that might have been a factor.
The bus, which was carrying elementary and middle school children, came to rest on its side.
The just-completed Texas Department of Transportation study recommends increasing the size of the stop signs at the intersection and placing rumble strips across Old Highway 95 before the intersection, which would be Bell County’s responsibility.
TxDOT said the sight distance is safe for stopping and said a traffic signal would not be considered for the intersection.
Bell County officials could also reduce the speed limit in the area, TxDOT said.
"We will continue to work with the county to make sure an accident of this nature does not happen again,” TxDOT spokesman Ken Roberts said Wednesday.
