Driver and Passenger of Car Identified in Fatal School Bus Crash

The driver is identified as 25-year old Justin J. Gandy of Lyons. Police say his driving privileges were suspended at the time of the crash.

Photos: Oregon State Police

(LYONS) - Police investigators say two men died Thursday morning after losing control of their car and crashing into a school bus on Highway 226 south of Lyons. The bus driver and two small children were not injured.

Around 11:30 AM Thursday, a North Santiam School District 2004 International school bus driven by 46-year old Charles S. Baldwin of Stayton, was southbound on Highway 226 when a northbound 1989 Nissan Sentra four-door driven by 25-year old Justin Gandy lost control while negotiating a shaded, icy curve.

Investigators say the Nissan drove onto the shoulder and then back onto the highway where it was struck in the passenger side by the school bus in the southbound lane.

The Nissan came to rest in a ditch off the highway. The school bus stopped on the highway.

The two occupants, Jason Gandy and passenger, 37-year old Darryl Ray Wilverding of Lyons, were pronounced deceased at the scene. Both were using safety restraints.

Police say the Nissan's driver, Justin J. Gandy of Lyons, had his driving privileges were suspended at the time of the crash.

Baldwin was using safety restraints. He was transporting two girls approximately 5 years of age.

Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers from the Salem Area Command, assisted by OSP crash reconstructionists, are continuing the investigation. ODOT and Mehama Fire personnel assisted at the scene. The highway was reopened about 2:30 PM.

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Josh, I am so thankful to hear that you are doing okay after everything that has happend. I love and miss you and your family so very much and wish I could be there for you all. Justin is a person that NOBODY will ever forget. Although his time on earth was cut short, we all have the millions of memories and stories that could go on forever!!! Josh, keep going...it's want Justin would want from you!!!

my name is josh gandy . justin is my brother , it has been verry hard the last 2 years . and i am finly bult up the streangth to find out more abought this . so please aney and all pic . and info thank you .

Regardless of who had what kind of driving priviledges, tragic accidents happen even with drivers who are legal to drive. Please lets not automatically assume that the driver was at fault because his driving priviledges were suspended. Noone knows why, it may have been due to failure to pay a fine like parking etc.

all i know is that i miss both of them so much there is not a day that goes by that i dont think of them they were the best

I go to Stayton High School and I ride that bus (37) to school and back to here in lyons. and i know that it was nobodys fault and definatley not Mr. Baldwins he is a great bus driver. I just wanted to clear that up.

Lisa, Our policy is to never run a name before the next of kin is notified, and they are not released by law enforcement until the family has been contacted. Thanks for pointing out our error on the paragraph that had not been deleted.

I hope there has been notification to the next of kin, since his name was givin just two paragraphs above the paragraph that states The male passenger's identity is withheld pending next of kin notification.

The use of crash scene photos is not unusual in a news story. This involved tragic circumstances, no offense is intended toward anyone. Thank you for the correction on fire agencies, our information came from law enforcement and we assumed it was correct. Thank you for your input.

as a fire dept responder to this and other crashes like it in the last few weeks, i would like to ask the media to do 2 things 1: have respect for the deceased,if this was your family member would you want to see these photos posted all over the internet, and 2: get the facts straight, the mehama fire dept didnt respond to this, it was the lyons fire dept, and we were assisted by stayton fire dept. thank you.

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