Ohio State Senator Dave Burke, right, honors Marysville School District bus driver Gary Lemaster with a resolution during Thursday night’s school board meeting. Lemaster was driving a school bus which was struck by a semi during a field trip in December. The Marysville District also honored Lemaster at the meeting.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
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Thursday night, Ohio State Senator Dave Burke and the Marysville Board of Education honored a district bus driver for his actions during a bus crash in December.
“Heroes come in all shapes, sizes and occupations,” Burke said.
On Dec. 8, Gary Lemaster was driving a group of Marysville students home from a trip to the former Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield. The students, part of a senior English class, were touring the prison after reading “The Shawshank Redemption” in class. A movie of the book was filmed at the prison.
About 1:20 p.m., the bus with 11 students, two chaperones and the driver was on I-71, south of Mansfield. According to reports, a tractor-trailer hit the back end of the bus. Despite the impact, which caused substantial damage and caused the bus to fishtail, Lemaster was able to control the bus and bring it to an eventual stop safely off the road.
Lemaster, along with eight Marysville High School students, was taken to a Mansfield-area hospital for treatment.
None of the injuries were deemed serious. The driver of the tractor-trailer, a Canadian man, was cited with failure to maintain assured clear distance ahead by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
At the time, students and administrators praised Lemaster for his efforts.
“It sounded like an explosion when we were first hit and I’m glad the bus driver was able to pull over safely and no one that I know of was seriously injured,” Melanie Batdorf, a student on the bus, said shortly after the crash.
Assistant High School Principal Scott Stackhouse was also on the bus.
“Honestly, it felt like something exploded,” Stackhouse said. “The driver did a fantastic job.”
Burke presented Lemaster with a resolution from the senate honoring him. The lawmaker explained that he has facilitated many proclamations for individuals, but the resolution is a higher honor as it is logged into the history of statehouse action.
Burke said this is just the third such proclamation he has given, the other two going to service members.
The board of education followed suit, honoring Lemaster with a plaque.
Lemaster said that before every bus trip he says a prayer, asking God to bring the children home safe.