A Safford school bus loaded with 20 children collided with a truck and a SUV at Highway 191 due to iPod distraction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Safford, Arizona, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) November 1, 2011 -- All three vehicles were southbound on the highway when the collisions occurred.

A Safford school bus had stopped to drop off some kids and two vehicles stopped behind it. The school bus had its stop lights on and its stop sign was displayed. A subsequent investigation by the DPS' commercial vehicle division showed the bus was in capable working order at the time of the crash.

As the vehicles were stopped, a silver 2008 Nissan Titan driven by Brandon Simpson, 18, of Safford quickly approached the convoy from the rear. Simpson allegedly told a DPS officer that he was distracted and was looking down at his iPod as he was driving down the highway. He said he didn't notice the stopped school bus and other vehicles until it was too late.

Simpson attempted to avoid the vehicles, but the right front end of the Titan plowed into the left rear of a blue 2008 Ford Expedition driven by Cynthia Tenney, 32, of Flagstaff. Tenney was traveling with a toddler and baby who were both in appropriate car seats.

The collision caused the Nissan's damaged front end to act like an anchor and thrust the vehicle clockwise as it traveled around a yellow Ford Ranger Edge pickup truck and into the left rear of the school bus driven by Vincent Gonzales, 20, of Safford .

Simpson suffered trauma to his eye and was transported to the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center. He was treated at the hospital and released, according to Long. None of the children or other occupants required medical attention.

Simpson was given a citation for failure to yield, and his truck and the SUV were towed from the scene by Nuttall's Towing.

More information can be found online at http://www.truckingaccidentinfo.com/article/a-safford-school-bus-loaded-with-20-children-collided-with-a-truck-and-a-suv-at-highway-191-due-to-ipod-distraction

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