Palo Pinto County

Wrong Way Semi Crashes Into Charter Bus Carrying Students to HS Playoff Game

Westbound Interstate 20 reopens to traffic at about 5 p.m. Friday

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A crash between a charter bus and a tractor-trailer closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 20 in Palo Pinto County for several hours Friday afternoon.

The crash was reported at about 2 p.m. near the intersection of I-20 and U.S. Highway 281 in Santo. The westbound lanes of I-20 reopened at about 5 p.m.

Investigators said the driver of a Volvo tractor-trailer was headed eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-20 when he collided with a charter bus carrying 32 students, staff and faculty from the Gunter ISD. The charter was headed to a high school football playoff game in Abilene, officials said.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, identified as 64-year-old Jon Coffey, was transported to Weatherford Regional Hospital in an unknown condition. Officials said Coffey may have suffered a medical issue that caused him to drive the wrong way on the highway.

The driver of the charter bus, identified as 41-year-old Taliah Mims, of Mansfield, was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.

No other injuries were reported among those on the charter bus. A passenger who was sleeping in the Volvo tractor at the time of the crash was also uninjured.

Santo is about 21 miles west of Weatherford and 50 miles west of Fort Worth.

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