HWY 12 Reopened

Valley Springs, CA — The CHP has reopened Highway 12 after a school bus and tanker truck crash.  The roadway was closed for about an hour and 15 minutes as tow crews worked to upright the bus that had smashed into a ditch and rolled onto its side.

The accident happened around 8:30 a.m. on Highway 12 near Double Springs Road. No school students were on the bus at the time of the accident. The CHP reports 55-year-old Timothy Lupkes of Rancho Cordova was driving a 2014 Peterbuilt tanker truck westbound on the highway and 48-year-old Siobnhan Fisher of Mokelumne Hill was driving a Calaveras Unified School Bus eastbound, both coming into a sweeping curve when they side swiped each other. The bus went off onto the right shoulder of the roadway and down an embankment landing on its right side.

The CHP says it is unclear at this time which vehicle crossed the double yellow lines causing the crash.  Investigators will be viewing video recordings from both vehicles to determine who was at fault. (Both vehicles were equipped with cameras)

The roadway was down to one-way traffic for several hours, and then later completely shutdown. Traffic was re-directed so the bus could be towed.

The CHP reports Fisher suffered minor injuries and was taken to Mark Twain Medical Center.