COON VALLEY, WISCONSIN — A school bus carrying ten Westby Area School District students collided with a semi-truck on US Highway 14 at Brye Lane in the Town of Hamburg Thursday afternoon, but a quick evasive maneuver by the semi driver significantly reduced the severity of the crash. No injuries were reported.
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office said the incident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. on April 23, 2026. David Carl Aberg, 69, of rural Viroqua, was operating a 29-passenger school bus southbound on Brye Lane. Aberg stopped at the US Highway 14 intersection to wait for traffic to clear before making a left turn eastbound. Approximately three seconds after completing the turn, the right front corner of the bus struck the left side of an eastbound semi-tractor/trailer operated by Ramanpreet Singh, 50. The semi is owned by a Verona-based company.
Singh attempted to avoid the collision by steering onto the unpaved shoulder — a maneuver the Sheriff’s Office said significantly reduced the severity of the impact. Both vehicles remained under control and came to rest on the eastbound shoulder.
All ten students on the bus were checked by emergency responders. No injuries were reported among students, the bus driver, or the semi driver. The Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the school district to notify parents. Some students were picked up at the scene while others were transported home on a different school bus.
US Highway 14 was reduced to one lane while crews worked the scene. All lanes cleared by approximately 4:30 p.m. Coon Valley Fire Department, Coon Valley Emergency Medical Responders, and Tri-State Ambulance/Gundersen Ambulance assisted at the scene.
The incident remains under investigation by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with the Westby Area School District. Sheriff Roy Torgerson expressed appreciation for the quick response of emergency crews and the cooperation of motorists during the lane closure.
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