Photo: Elk smash

The front windshields of a school bus belonging to Lincoln's D&L Bussing show the damage caused by the impact of an elk Tuesday morning.

Doug Richards was carrying the Lincoln High School track team, en route to a track meet in Thompson Falls, when they hit the elk just west of Lincoln, near the rodeo grounds. Laurie Richards said Doug saw the herd of elk near the highway and had begun to slowdown as he kept an eye on them, when a straggler jumped in front of the vehicle.

Lauri said no one on the bus was hurt in the collision and that the kids were actually surprised by the extent of the damage. The smashed windshield and grill forced Doug to swap out the bus for one of the other two used for the daily routes, to continue on to the track meet. Laurie said he called the school to let them know they would be down a bus for the route east of Lincoln. (Photo courtesy Laurie Richards)