(Mattawa, WA) On Thursday, January 09, 2014 at approximately 7:25 am, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Grant County Fire District 8 responded to a school bus versus passenger car collision.
A Wahluke School District bus driven by Mauricio Ramirez, 50, of Mattawa, was stopped on Rd O SW at Rd 24 SW. Numerous vehicles were eastbound on Rd 24 SW and had signaled to turn right onto Rd O SW. The bus pulled out to turn westbound onto Rd 24 SW to head back towards Mattawa with 13 kids on board.
Luis Ponce Osuna, 39, of Mattawa, was driving a 1989 Nissan Sentra eastbound on Rd 24 SW in the long line of eastbound vehicles. Luis pulled out to pass the turning vehicles as he was attempting to continue eastbound on Rd 24 SW. As the 2005 Bluebird bus was making the turn onto Rd 24 SW, the bus and Sentra collided head-on in the westbound lane of travel. Ponce Osuna was unable to stop on the extremely icy roadway. Ponce Osuna was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
One child was treated by Fire District 8 EMTs for minor dizziness at the scene. Ponce Osuna will be cited for passing in a no passing zone, no insurance, and no valid operator’s license. The bus was driven from the scene and later inspected by WSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers.
The Nissan was totaled as a result of the collision. The bus sustained minor damage in the collision. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office Motor Traffic Unit investigated the collision.