Sheriff's Office Updates & Alerts - Stearns County, Minnesota
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320-251-4240  

Bus Crash

On May 18, 2026, at approximately 3:21 P.M., law enforcement responded to a reported traffic crash involving a school bus on Jay Avenue, south of Highway 23 in Munson Township, in Stearns County.

Preliminary investigation indicates a bus operated by Richmond Bus Service was traveling southbound on Jay Avenue when it left the roadway near a curve, entered the west ditch, struck a tree, and came to rest straddling a driveway.  The driver was identified as Thomas Gordon Hedburg, 72, of Sartell. Approximately 30 children of various ages were on board the bus at the time of the crash.  Several occupants sustained minor injuries, primarily small cuts caused by broken glass from the front window after impact with the tree. The bus sustained heavy damage to the front end and passenger side.

Emergency personnel from Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, Cold Spring/Richmond Police, and Mayo Ambulance responded to the scene and confirmed the injuries were minor. Parents were notified, and the children were released to their parents or guardians at the scene. The bus was removed from the scene by a local towing company. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be contributing factors in this crash.

Dispatch 320-251-4240   |   Records 320-259-3700

Email sheriff@co.stearns.mn.us   |   Twitter @Stearns_Sheriff