The North Dakota Highway Patrol reports that on Sept. 14, 2023, at around 3:45 p.m. the North Dakota Highway Patrol and other emergency responders were dispatched to an injury crash involving a school bus and a pickup truck.
The crash occurred in Nelson County on Highway 32 about 6 miles south of Petersburg, ND. A school bus carrying members of the Hatton Northwood volleyball team was traveling north on Highway 32 and collided with a pickup truck at the intersection of Nelson County road 4. At the time the pickup was traveling west on Nelson County road 4. Multiple passengers on the school bus were transported to Altru Hospital in Grand Forks for injuries sustained in the crash.
Agencies that responded to this accident include the North Dakota Highway Patrol, Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office, North Dakota Game and Fish, Northwood Police Department, Petersburg Rural Fire, Michigan Whitman Rural Fire, Aneta Fire, Lake Region Ambulance, Spirit Lake Ambulance, Altru Grand Forks Ambulance, Devils Lake Paramedic, Valley Ambulance, Lakota Ambulance, McVille Ambulance, Larimore Ambulance, Fordville Ambulance, Park River Ambulance, Nelson County Emergency Management, Walsh County Emergency Management and Interstate Towing.
Updated information: Vehicle No. 1 was a 2022 Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 driven by Shari Bilden, 56, Northwood, ND who was injured. Seatbelt was in use.
Passenger No. 1: Female, 15, Sharon, ND Passenger No. 2: Female, 15, Larimore, ND Passenger No. 3: Female, 16, Larimore, ND Passenger No 4: Female, 16, Northwood, ND Passenger No 5: Female, 15, Hatton, ND Passenger No 6: Female, 16, Hatton, ND Passenger No 7: Female, 14, Portland, ND Passenger No 8: Female, 15, Northwood, ND, Passenger No 9: Female, 16, Portland, ND Passenger No 10: Female, 15, Northwood, ND Passenger No 11: Female, 16, Northwood, ND Passenger No 12: Female, 15, Northwood, ND Passenger No 13: Female, 16, Northwood, ND Passenger No 14: Female, 15, Northwood, ND Passenger No 15: Female, 16, Northwood, ND Passenger No 16: Female, 17, Hatton, ND Passenger No 17: Female, 14, Northwood, ND Passenger No 18: Female, 16, Northwood, ND Passenger No 19: Female, 14, Aneta, ND Passenger No 20: Female, 14, Arvilla, ND Passenger No 21: Female, 15, Northwood, ND Passenger No 22: Female, 15, Northwood, ND Passenger No 23: Female, 14, Hatton, ND Passenger No 24: Female, 15, Aneta, ND Passenger No 25: Female, 14, Northwood, ND Passenger No 26: Female, 25, Coach Jana Mehus, Hatton, ND, injured.
Vehicle No. 2 was a 2018 Dodge Pickup driven by Archie Gronvold, 68, Barton, ND, who died at the scene. Airbags deployed, seatbelt was in use.
On Sept. 14, 2023, at around 3:45 p.m. a Northwood bus was traveling north on Highway 32. The bus was carrying members of the Hatton Northwood Volleyball Team for a game in Petersburg, ND. A pickup truck, driven by Archie Gronvold, was traveling west on Nelson County Road 4. While Gronvold’s vehicle was crossing Highway 32 it was struck on the driver’s side by the bus, driven by Bilden. Multiple passengers on the school bus, including the driver and coach were transported to Altru Hospital in Grand Forks for injuries sustained in the crash. Gronvold, the driver of the pickup, died at the scene. None of the students suffered any life threatening injuries. The crash remains under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
For More Information Contact: Sergeant Wade Kadrmas wkadrmas@nd.gov
