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Students in recent fatal bus crash share experience, raise funds

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A student who was on the school bus that crashed into the back of a semi truck in Pennsylvania earlier this week is sharing her experience and raising funds to help the family of the student killed in the incident. 

13-year-old Karma Wilson says the crash happened fast and sent her flying through the bus seat in front of her. 

“Literally right before it happened, I didn’t know until everything hit,” said Wilson.

“I was sitting sideways so it hit the truck in front of us and I flew in front of me. The fabric ripped off the seat and I went through,” said Wilson. “I was pretty bruised up.”

Bus driver Lindsay Thompkins and the student in the seat behind him, Brylee Walker, were killed in the crash. 

“Brylee was a beautiful soul,” her parents wrote to CBS Pittsburgh.

 “She was always smiling. She had the biggest heart and was wise beyond her years. Music and singing was her passion. This was her first year at Lincoln Park where she was the only 9th grader accepted into the student council due to her outstanding essay. We wouldn’t wish this tragedy on any parent ever, but also ask ourselves why. One child fatality and it was ours.”

“Someone from the back of the bus opened the emergency exit and called 911. By the time all of us got out, people were coming out of cars to help us,” said Wilson. “It was really traumatic.”

Wilson also says that she is helping to raise funds for Brylee’s family, even though she did not know the girl well. 

Shareka Simmons, sister to the bus driver killed in the crash, says that driving school buses was her brother’s passion and that he hoped to open his own company one day. He leaves behind two children. 

Police are still investigating the incident. So far, the only clear factor in the crash is that “the bus was traveling at a speed faster than the tractor-trailer which caused a rear-end collision,” said Trooper Josh Black with Troop D in Butler.

The truck driver involved in the incident, Karandeep Singh, was not hurt in the crash. 

Investigators urge anyone with information on the crash to contact Troop D at 724-284-8500.

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