Hermann Trolley crashes injuring 32 people
HERMANN, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that 32 people were injured when a shuttle bus left the road and struck a ditch Saturday near Hermann in Gasconade County.
First Alert 4 later confirmed with the company that the vehicle involved in the crash was The Hermann Trolley.
According to online reports, the crash happened around 10:45 a.m. on Highway 100 west of Eagles Nest Drive. The bus was traveling west when it went off the right side of the road, was overcorrected and traveled off the left side of the road, striking a ditch, according to the report.
The driver, a 45-year-old Hermann man, was seriously injured and transported by helicopter to University Hospital in Columbia.
In addition to the driver, three other people sustained serious injuries and were transported to local hospitals. Eleven people sustained moderate injuries and were transported to local hospitals, as were 17 people with minor injuries.
Only one enger on the bus, a 60-year-old Lee’s Summit woman, was not injured to some degree, according to the report.
The highway patrol no longer identifies people involved in traffic crashes. The injured people ranged in age from 27-68 years old and were from cities in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas.
Hermann Area Volunteer Fire Department reported that a “mass casualty response” was initiated and the first responders were at the scene within three minutes of the call. Numerous ambulances, as well as the medical helicopter, helped get the wounded to medical facilities, the fire department said.
The Hermann Trolley is a shuttle that offers transportation to various locations in scenic Hermann and surrounding areas.
One enger, Brooke Emshoff, told First Alert 4 she thought the driver had been going a little too fast down the windy rural roads outside Hermann. But she added that she felt that the driver’s reaction to the bus leaving the road may have prevented further injuries.
“I felt like we were extremely lucky the bus didn’t flip,” Emshoff said. “All in all, I think he did his best.”
Emshoff had been celebrating her birthday with a group of friends. She had been sitting next to her boyfriend during the collision.
“I was terrified, understandably,” she said. “I grabbed onto my boyfriend, who was sitting next to me. As soon as the trolley stopped, I took stock, looked around, realized I was okay.”
Emshoff quickly called 911. Her friend, a nurse, started checking on other engers until first responders arrived. Emshoff said that she and her friends all had minor injuries but were not hurt as badly as several others.
Aaron Cruts, the owner of the company, declined an on-camera interview with First Alert 4. He cited the ongoing investigation. But Cruts said that safety incidents on the shuttle are very rare. He said the driver of the trolly is recovering.
“We hope for the best for all of our engers and everyone involved in the incident,” Cruts said over the phone.
Under a previous owner, a Hermann trolly was involved in a fatal accident in 2018.
Tammy Bruckerhoff, Hermann’s director of tourism and economic development, said that the shuttle has represented one of the safest ways to get around in the town. She said that the use of the trolley cuts down on vehicular traffic and prevents visitors from driving under the influence while visiting wineries in the area.
She said that the city had reached out to Cruts about preventing future incidents.
“The Hermann Trolly is committed to offering safe transportation to all of our visitors. The owner is already thinking about things he can do, and will implement them very quickly,” Bruckerhoff said.
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