6-year-old boy killed in crash between car, school bus in NW Indiana

A 6-year-old boy was killed in a crash between a car and a school bus Thursday morning in northwest Indiana.

The crash happened about 8 a.m. at 41st and Calhoun in unincorporated Gary, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office.

A Honda Civic disregarded a stop sign at the intersection and struck a Gary Community School bus, according to the sheriff’s office.

The driver of the Civic had two juvenile passengers.

One of the children, 6-year-old Malachi Waiters of Gary, was taken to Methodist Northlake Hospital in Gary where he died at 8:41 a.m., according to the Lake County coroner’s office.

The other juvenile was taken to Munster Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Three children on board the school bus were treated at the scene and released to their parents, according to the sheriff’s office. The bus driver was taken to Methodist Northlake for an evaluation.

The 27-year-old driver of the Civic, a Merrillville man, was driving on a suspended license and had an outstanding warrant for the same offense, according to the sheriff’s office. He was taken to Methodist Southlake for an evaluation, then taken to the Lake County Jail for processing.

The sheriff’s office said alcohol, speed and traffic offenses were contributing factors in the crash, according to a preliminary investigation.

The Lake County sheriff’s Traffic Reconstruction Team is assisting with the investigation.