Students use radio to call for help after bus driver suffers medical emergency in Crow Wing County

The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office says children needed to call for help after their bus driver suffered a serious medical emergency Tuesday afternoon.

According to the sheriff’s office, the incident occurred just after 3 p.m. when the driver was taking children ranging from kindergarten to fourth grade from Riverside Elementary in Brainerd to a transfer stop after school had ended.

Students noticed the driver was not following the route to the drop-off location. The sheriff’s office said the driver had suffered a medical emergency.

One of the 30 children on board used the bus radio to call for help while the driver stopped the vehicle and let the children out in a rural area at County Road 45 and 100th Street.

Police and emergency medical services responded to the bus’ location, transporting the 74-year-old man to the hospital. The sheriff’s office said that the man is still hospitalized, as of Wednesday.

“We ask for your prayers for the driver as his medical condition is serious,” the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities helped unite students with their parents at the scene, while the remaining students were taken home by the bus service.