Update 7:45 p.m.- The driver of the pickup that struck the bus was arrested Monday evening on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Jeremy Bernhard was held at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility. He posted bail Monday evening.
Billings police also corrected their initial report and said one person, a teenaged girl, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Sgt. Bret Becker said the bus coming from Skyview had its flashing lights on for about a block before it came to a complete stop and the pickup rammed into it.
The remaining students were transferred to a different bus and were dropped off about an hour later than normal.
BILLINGS- Two students were taken to a local hospital Monday afternoon after a First Student bus was rear-ended in Billings Heights.
Other students refused transport from the spot on Bench Boulevard south of the Anchor Avenue intersection. The bus was from Billings Skyview High School. Police say they suspect alcohol may have been a factor.
Students from the Bench/Anchor crash have been transferred to a different bus and will be dropped off about an hour later than normal. The bus had its flashing lights on and was coming to a stop when it was rear-ended. The intersection is now open again. – SGT Becker.
— BillingsPD (@BillingsPD) April 29, 2019
Bench /Anchor is shut down to all traffic while we investigate a pickup vs school bus traffic accident. School bus was from Skyview. Two kids were xported via ambulance for minor injuries. The p/u driver is a 44 y/o Billings resd. Alcohol is appearing to be a factor. -Sgt Becker
— BillingsPD (@BillingsPD) April 29, 2019
It wasn’t immediately clear how many students were on the bus. Police said the injuries were not serious.
The 44-year-old man driving the other vehicle, a Toyota Tundra pickup truck, was not injured.
First Student has brought in another bus to pick up uninjured students.
This is a developing story.
Reporting by Paul Humphrey, Q2 News