Parents and neighbors of Zeman Elementary School got a scare as school let out Tuesday afternoon when an accident at the 52nd and Spruce streets intersection caused a small bus from St. Mark’s United Methodist Church to tip over and crush another vehicle.

The bus was traveling north on 52nd Street when it collided with a Pontiac Grand Prix, traveling west on Spruce Street, according to Lincoln police. The accident pushed the Pontiac into a fire hydrant in the northwest corner and caused the bus to flip onto its side.

Two schoolage children were riding the bus at the time, which was picking up children who attend St. Mark’s daycare and preschool, authorities said.

The driver of the Pontiac was taken to BryanLGH Medical Center West for her injuries. The woman driver’s passenger, a 3-year-old girl, also was taken to the hospital for observation. As of 5 p.m. the names were not yet available.

A group of children and a few parents and teachers gathered around the accident as police and paramedics worked.

Jason Neiman and his two children were coming from the school when he glanced over and saw the bus on its side.

“We didn’t hear it. We didn’t see anything. Then, we saw the bus laying on its side,” he said. “One of the other parents ran over and the mom handed the baby to her (vehicle) to keep the baby warm.”

Neiman said he and some other parents helped get the two children out of the bus and stayed with them until paramedics arrived. The bus driver also was uninjured.

“They were freely talking to the other kids in their class,” he said.

Pastor John Lacey, from St. Mark’s United Methodist, said he’s relieved the children are OK.

The small bus had seat belts inside and both children were buckled up. Neiman said he thinks in this situation, it helped keep the children from getting hurt.

Parents said people use Spruce Street as a through street because its one of few nearby streets that go straight from 48th to 56th streets. A sign warns of the intersection’s dip, but drivers generally don’t yield, they said.

“This intersection is known for people not bothering to yield,” Neiman said.

No citations have been issued at this time, police said.

Reach Gwen Tietgen at 473-7242 or gtietgen@journalstar.com.

Shoplifter breaks hip, wrist for a pair of jeans

It’s safe to say things didn’t end quite how David Shephard thought they would.

Police say he rolled up a pair of $48 Echo jeans in his pants, without paying, and headed for the skywalk door at Dillard’s at about 8:30 Monday night.

Officer Katherine Finnell said a store employee saw him, called two other employees and followed him out, trying to stop him by yelling at him.

That’s when 26-year-old Shephard, of York, went to the edge of the parking garage and jumped over the side.

When he hit the ground, he broke his right hip and wrist. Finnell said Shephard was taken to the hospital for his injuries.

Then police ticketed him for shoplifting.