Police investigating High Desert school bus collision

Police were investigating a collision involving a school bus and another vehicle Wednesday morning on the east side of Yucca Valley.

It was reported at 6:32 a.m. on State Highway 62 at the intersection of Yucca Mesa Road just east of the town’s Walmart and Home Depot stores.

Police said the driver of a pickup truck, Thomas Knie, 69, of El Toro ran a red light at the intersection while traveling at 65 mph eastbound on Highway 62.

Knie’s Chevrolet struck the bus as it traveled northbound on La Contenta with a green light intending to continue straight onto Yucca Mesa Road. His vehicle struck the side of the bus flipping it over.

Knie was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs with major injuries.

Only two people were aboard the bus, a driver Cassie Bastrup, 27, of Joshua Tree and a passenger Deliah Cleary, 58, of Twentynine Palms. They were not injured.No students were on board the bus.

The collision blocked one westbound lane on Highway 62 to traffic during the clean up and investigation, but both eastbound lanes were open.

The bus was uprighted and the roads reopened at 8:27 a.m.

The exact cause of the collision is still under investigation.