Officials release name of Independence man killed in a head-on school bus collision

Authorities have released the name of a 32-year-old man who was killed Thursday in a head-on collision with a school bus on Missouri 291, just south of Missouri 210.

John M. Gaage of Independence was southbound in the northbound lanes of Missouri 291 when his 2002 Saturn SL collided head-on with a Wellington-Napoleon R-IX School District bus. The wreck happened at 4:20 p.m. and shut down traffic on Missouri 291 in both directions.

Gaage was transported to North Kansas City Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.

The 63-year-old school bus driver sustained moderate injuries.

The school bus was headed to a basketball game when the collision happened. District officials reported there were no serious injuries to students or staff who were taken back to the school after the incident. The game for Thursday night was canceled, district officials said.

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 8:12 AM with the headline "Officials release name of Independence man killed in a head-on school bus collision."