1 dead in crash involving school bus, trucks on I-70 in Hendricks County

Indiana State Police are investigating a four-vehicle crash on Interstate 70 that left one dead and nine injured Friday afternoon.

Just before 1 p.m., state police and emergency responders were called to the area of Interstate 70 westbound near mile marker 59 in Hendricks County, according to a news release.

Preliminary investigation revealed a semi truck, driven by 51-year-old Kenneth B. Gieger Jr., of Princeton, Ind., failed to slow as traffic was slowing near an Indiana Department of Transportation work area.

The truck hit a Ford rental box truck in the rear, driven by 39-year-old Matthew Roeder of Peoria, Ariz. The passenger of that truck, 19-year-old Jace D. Roeder of Woods Cross, Utah, was killed in the collision and pronounced dead at the scene.

The collision forced the box truck into the rear end of a Bluebird school bus, driven by 52-year-old Wendell R. Clay of Richland, Mo. On the school bus were 23 high school students and 5 adults returning to Stoutland and Richland schools in Missouri from the National FFA Conference in Indianapolis.

Seven teenage students were taken to area hospitals for treatment for pain and as a precaution. The remaining students and adults were taken to Cascade High School to await transportation to Missouri.

After pushing the box truck into the bus, the semi continued left, hitting a white, 1998 Chevrolet van driven by 51-year-old Mark G. Stewart of St. Louis, Mo.

Geiger and Matthew Roeder were taken to area hospitals for treatment of what police say are non-life-threatening injuries. Clay and Stewart were not injured.

Geiger, the driver of the semi, was cited for following too close.

Both westbound lanes of I-70 were reopened at 4:23 p.m.

Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at (317) 444-6156. Follow her on Twitter: @hollyvhays.

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