Three killed as pickup slams into Neosho school bus

Three people were killed 4:20 p.m. Wednesday at Route H, 10 miles east of Neosho as a pickup slammed into a school bus.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 1981 Chevrolet 1500 driven by Austin L. Thomas, 21, Harrison, Arkansas, ran a stop sign and struck a 1999 Bluebird school bus driven by Sherry M. Peavy, 50, Neosho, broadside.

Both vehicles traveled off the left side of the road and overturned. The school bus landed on top of the pickup.


Newton County Coroner Dale Owen pronounced Thomas and two passengers in his vehicle, Jordan R. Pospichal, 19, Hasty, Arkansas, and Waylon H. Collins, 21, Western Grove, Arkansas, dead at the scene at 8 p.m.

Peavy and a passenger, Bethany A. Thomasson, 43, Neosho, a bus aide, were treated for minor injuries at Mercy Hospital, Joplin.

The Neosho R-5 School District released the following statement:

"We were recently made aware of an accident involving one of our buses at the intersection of H and HH. Emergency and school personnel are currently on the scene. Two students, a bus aide, and bus driver were onboard when another vehicle struck the bus. There are some bumps and bruises but we are grateful to report no major injuries for our students and team who were on the bus. We do not have information as to the other vehicle or its passengers. 

This is all we know at this time but we will work with law enforcement to keep our community in the loop as information comes available. 

Our thoughts are with all involved in this tragic accident.

The fatalities were the 100th and 101st for Highway Patrol Troop D.