ST. CLOUD, MN — A 27-year-old woman is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after she was struck by a school bus while walking through a crosswalk in downtown St. Cloud. According to the St. Cloud Police Department, officers responded to a crash at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 5th Street South involving a school bus and a pedestrian. Investigators say the woman was crossing the street within a designated crosswalk when an 86-year-old man operating the school bus made a turn and struck her. Police reported that the bus driver did not see the woman before the collision occurred. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and transported the woman to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries described as life-threatening. STUDENTS WERE ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH Authorities confirmed that the school bus was transporting students from St. Cloud Area School District 742 when the incident occurred. Fortunately, none of the students aboard the bus were injured. The 86-year-old driver was also uninjured. Police have not released the identity of the injured woman or the bus driver. INVESTIGATION REMAINS ONGOING The St. Cloud Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, including what led to the driver failing to see the pedestrian in the crosswalk. Authorities have not indicated whether the driver will face criminal charges or traffic citations. Police also have not clarified whether the driver remained at the scene immediately following the collision. The woman’s current condition beyond the initial report of life-threatening injuries has not been released. The incident raises concerns about pedestrian safety, particularly at intersections where turning vehicles and people using marked crosswalks share the roadway. Our thoughts are with the injured woman and her loved ones as she receives medical care. We hope she makes a full recovery. Minnesota Now | St. Cloud, Minnesota