Students taken to hospital after school bus crash

A total of approximately 45 students were on two St Johns County school buses at about 2:20 p.m. Monday afternoon, when the vehicles collided, sending two students to Baptist South for evaluation of minor injuries.

Historic City News was informed by the Florida Highway Patrol that the two school buses were traveling east on International Golf Parkway, behind a 2014 Ford Escape, driven by 30-year-old Christopher Fowler of St Augustine.

Eastbound traffic lanes merged from two lanes into one lane in a construction area at Center Place Way. Another vehicle was in the right lane and began to attempt to quickly merge into the left lane, causing Fowler to slow abruptly.

The first school bus, directly behind Fowler, was a 2007 ICRP bus driven by 61-year-old Cherie Jahnke of Palm Coast. Jahnke attempted to stop; but, was struck from behind by the second bus — a 2010 model Blue Bird driven by 62-year-old Richard Shellenbach of St Augustine.

This caused the first bus to be pushed into the rear of the Escape.

All three vehicles suffered minor damages. The condition of the two hospitalized students is unknown at this time.