Bus driver suffers health emergency, dies after crashing with kids on board, cops say

A 39-year-old school bus driver transporting children died after crashing into a median, Illinois police say.

The Chicago Police Department said the driver suffered a health emergency as he drove on North Lake Shore Drive around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.

It caused him to lose control of the bus, then strike a median, police said. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died.

The victim was identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office as Christopher Johnson, according to WLS and WBBM. It’s unclear what medical emergency he suffered.

“Terribly saddened to hear about the passing of Christopher Johnson,” one Facebook friend said. “He put a lot of smiles on a lot of faces.”

Police did not say how many children were on the bus, but two boys were taken to a children’s hospital. The two injured victims, ages 12 and 9, were listed in good condition.

This story was originally published March 7, 2024 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Bus driver suffers health emergency, dies after crashing with kids on board, cops say."