An 18-year-old man broke his neck after his car collided with a school bus full of children Friday morning in Lake Elsinore, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The male driver of a white two-door sedan was hospitalized following the crash near the intersection of Summerhill and Canyon Ridge drives (map) about 7:15 a.m., CHP Officer Tommy Doerr said.
"He had movement in his eyes and stuff, but just vocally, he was not saying anything more. In shock and just didn't look too proper," witness Jason Hoisington said.
The teen, identified as Temescal Canyon High senior Ryan Geiger, was expected to survive, according to the CHP.
The female driver of the bus, which was carrying about 45 Canyon lake Middle School students, was hospitalized with minor injuries.
None of the students aboard the bus were injured, but some panicked after the impact, witnesses said. A student sitting near the front of the bus said he was knocked out of his seat.
"The bus tipped over a little bit and it shook the whole bus," student Gabriel Schultz said. "It was real bad."
U.S. & World
Schultz said he recognized Geiger inside the wrecked sedan.
The driver of the white car was heading west on Summerhill Drive when the school bus pulled out from Canyon Ridge Drive, according to officials. A witness told NBC4 the driver of the sedan appeared to be speeding and couldn't stop in time.
CHP investigators have not ruled who was at fault, and said they were examining on-board camera footage from the bus.
The 45 students were taken to school in another bus, according to the Lake Elsinore School District.
Friends of the victim said that Geiger was able to move his feet and was talking as evening came Friday.
