Young driver hits transit bus in Shreveport, injuring 12

SHREVEPORT, LA -- A 13-year-old boy driving a pickup truck ran a stop sign and then cut off a city bus in Shreveport, La., causing a collision that left him and 11 others injured, some seriously, authorities said Saturday.

At least two people remain hospitalized after the Friday night crash. The boy driver of the truck and 41-year-old bus driver Jenet Howell were in fair condition Saturday afternoon at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport.

Shreveport Assistant Fire Chief Scott Wolverton says Howell and a passenger near the front of the bus suffered head injuries. Nine others were taken to hospitals with less severe injuries.

"There are no life-threatening injuries for the bus driver, any of the passengers, or even the kid," said Shreveport police spokesman Cpl. Marcus Hines.

The boy had to be extracted from the truck using hydraulic rescue tools, while the front window and entryway of the bus were also severely damaged.

Hines said the boy will likely face juvenile charges of driving without a license, running a stop sign and reckless driving.

The bus, which had 24 passengers, was running one of six night routes operated by SporTran, a Shreveport city agency that provides bus service there and in Bossier City, La.

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