Update: 16-year-old dies after car collides with school bus near Adams

Published 5:04 pm Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The remains of a four-door car sits in the south ditch of Highway 56 just past the intersection with County Road 5 after colliding with the above bus Wednesday afternoon. Eric Johnson/photodesk@dailyherald.com

The remains of a four-door car sits in the south ditch of Highway 56 just past the intersection with Mower County Road 5 after colliding with the above bus Wednesday afternoon. Eric Johnson/photodesk@dailyherald.com

ADAMS — A 16-year-old girl from Rose Creek died and at least one other was severely injured Wednesday afternoon when their car collided with a Southland school bus near Adams, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. A Southland administrator confirmed none of the children on the bus or bus driver were seriously hurt, although some may have suffered minor injuries.

Tess Landherr, listed as the driver, died after her Buick Century reportedly spun out in icy conditions and struck the bus in the front end, according to the Mower County Sheriff’s Office. Fifteen-year-old Anna Bruggeman, listed as the passenger, was seriously injured. Both were wearing their seatbelts, according to the State Patrol.

Landherr and Bruggeman were transported to the hospital in Austin before being taken by ambulance to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. The Minnesota State Patrol is handling the full report, and Amazi couldn’t offer full details about the bus driver or children. The State Patrol lists the bus driver as 41-year-old Kim Bissen of Rose Creek. An 8-year-old girl on the bus sustained minor injuries and was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin.

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Officers blocked a large portion of Highway 56 near County Road 5 after the crash at about 3:30 p.m. and remained there late into the afternoon. Several Mower County Sheriff’s Office deputies and ambulances responded to the crash.

The Southland Public Schools principal, superintendent and other school officials quickly tried to notify parents of every student on the bus. They couldn’t offer more information as of late afternoon about how many students were on the bus or the extent of injuries.

–Adam Harringa contributed to this report.