Man, 85, dies as tractor, school bus crash along Delaware's Route 13

An 85-year-old man operating a farm tractor died after police said he steered into the path of a school bus along a Delaware road Monday morning.

Delaware State Police on Tuesday revealed details about the Sept. 16, 2024, crash along U.S. Route 13, south of Wilmington Airport and near Federal School Lane, in New Castle County.

85-year-old Wayne Proud, of New Castle, was operating a John Deere tractor on the right shoulder of northbound South Dupont Highway around 8:15 a.m. when he turned into "the school bus’s path of travel as it made a left turn from the shoulder and attempted to cross the northbound lanes of South Dupont Highway towards a crossover," police wrote.

"As a result, the school bus struck the tractor, and the tractor’s operator was ejected," police said.

The New Castle man driving the tractor later died at the hospital, police said. NBC10 newsgathering-partner WDEL originally reported on the fatality.

SkyForce10 was over the crash scene shortly before 9 a.m.

Léelo en español aquí.

You could see a yellow school bus -- some sort a trail on the ground behind it -- partially into the woods off one side of the roadway. On the other side of the grass median, you could see a stopped green tractor.

Several emergency vehicles were parked on the road and what appeared to be firefighters and police milled around.

Both the 55-year-old woman driving the school bus and a 56-year-old bus aide were transported by ambulance to a local hospital for what police called "non-life-threatening injuries."

"The school bus was transporting 7 George Read Middle School students, all of whom were seat belted, and were not injured," police said.

Later in the day, New Castle-based Colonial School District confirmed it was one of its buses involved in the wreck.

"The seven students onboard were evaluated by EMS crews at the scene and were cleared to be safely transported to George Read Middle School, and their families were contacted," the school district said.

Troopers kept Route 13 closed for about three hours while they investigated.

Tips for driving near farm equipment on Delaware roads

Just last week, New Castle County Police put out tips for drivers as more farm equipment was expected on roads during harvest season: "As harvest season ramps up over the coming weeks, farm equipment will become more common on our roads, especially in parts of Delaware and nearby states."

Tips for driving around tractors and other farm equipment includes being patient, maintaining a safe distance and watching for wide turns.