After what had been a relatively quiet week for first responders, ended last Friday with a number of traffic accidents.

At 8:05 last Friday morning, a vehicle rearended a Mariposa County Unified School District school bus on Highway 49 South on Spring Hill.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), bus driver Jacqueline Kay was driving south, just north of Allred Road at approximately 25 miles per hour.

Kayla Verley, 17, was also traveling south at around 50 miles per hour. Both vehicles were in the right lane.

Verley overtook the school bus and slammed into the rear bumper, sustaining substantial damage to the 2003 Mercury she was driving. The school bus only sustained minor damage.

The bus was loaded with 35 school children and the driver. Mariposa County Fire Chief Jim Wilson, one of the first responders, initially determined that no injuries were experienced. Later, Mariposa County Health Officer Dr. Charles Mosher also checked out all of the students at the request of Superintendent Aaron Rosander.

Kay and five student passengers complained of minor pair at the scene and they were transported by bus to John C. Fremont Hospital for further evaluation.

Verley told the CHP officer that she was blinded by the early morning sun and she didn’t see the school bus.

At 9:40 Friday morning, Jim McPherson, 66, of Reno, NV was riding his BMW motorcycle southbound of Highway 49 South near Chowchilla Mountain Road.

According to the CHP, a large bear entered the highway and McPherson was unable to avoide colliding with the animal. He was ejected and suffered multiple injuries and lacerations. He was flown to Memorial Hospital in Modesto for treatment. The bear ran off into the wildlands and wasn’t seen by those responding to the scene.

At 11:20 the same morning, vehicles driver by Debra Phillips of Arizona, and Terry Little of Santa Rosa, collided near Allred Road on Highway 140.

According to the CHP, both drivers apparently became confused in the Caltrans construction zone and were unable to avoid the collision. No citations were issued.

Robin Lee of Napa, a passenger in the Little vehicle was transported to John C. Fremont Hospital for back pain, and another passenger in the Phillips who was pregnant was transported to John C. Fremont as a precautionary measure.

At 1 p.m. Friday afternoon, Donna Hoegh, 66, of Modesto was traveling eastbound on Hornitos Road near La Paloma Road. According to the CHP, Hoegh crossed over the double yellow line on a blind corner and clipped an oncoming Peterbuilt truck and trailer driver by Steven Evans, 50, of Merced.

After clipping the big rig, Hoegh swerved to avoid a head-on and loss control of her Lexus, rolling the vehicle and sustaining injuries to herself and her passenger, Robert Hoegh. Donna Hoegh was transported to John C. Fremont Hospital for treatment of her injuries, and Robert Hoegh was flown to Memorial Hospital for what CHP reported as a fractured sternum.