Clark County school bus crash: Makeshift roadside memorial to be removed, prosecutor says

SPRINGFIELD — The makeshift roadside memorial in Clark County, where a collision involving a Northwestern Elementary School bus on Aug. 22 left 11-year-old Aiden Clark dead, is being removed overnight, county prosecutor Dan Driscoll said Thursday night.

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“Tonight, my office has asked local law enforcement to remove the memorial created at the site of the Northwestern Elementary School bus crash last week,” Driscoll said in a statement to News Center 7′s John Bedell.

“This decision was made at the request of the family of Aiden Clark. All the other families with children who were involved in the crash, as well as bus driver Gene Collier, have been made aware.

“While the families greatly appreciate the outpouring of support from the community, the memorial created at the site is a heavy reminder of the loss experienced in the Aug. 22 crash,” the prosecutor said.

Troopers identified Hermanio Joseph as the driver of the Honda Odyssey that crossed left of center on state Route 41 (Troy Road), near Lawrenceville Road and into the path of a Northwestern Local School District bus. The bus, driven by 68-year-old Alfred Gene Collier, also of Springfield, traveled off the right side of the roadway, down an embankment, and overturned.

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Aiden was killed in the crash.

As many as 26 other children on the bus suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to area hospitals. One of them suffered serious, life-threatening injuries and was taken to Children’s Hospital in Dayton. Collier suffered minor injuries but was not taken to a hospital.

Joseph and his passenger, Roberto Mompremier, 37, also of Springfield, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Both were taken to Springfield Regional Medical Center, the patrol said.

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Driscoll said, “The families would ask that the community support them in moving forward without the daily, visual reminder at the crash scene. I would ask that you continue to pray for these families and support them as they continue to heal.”

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