Child airlifted from Woodstock Wal-Mart after being struck by Pace bus

A child was airlifted to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge after being hit by a 13-passenger Pace Bus in a Wal-Mart parking lot at 1275 Lake Ave. in Woodstock Tuesday, Fire/Rescue Captain Brendan Parker said.

The child, who authorities are not yet identifying, sustained critical life-threatening injuries.

Parker says crews were dispatched at 3:17 p.m., and they immediately requested the Flight for Life Helicopter be on standby.

Pace Spokesman Patrick Wilmot says the bus was operated by a contract company, First Transit, based out of McHenry. The bus was serving McHenry County's Dial-a-Ride service, and five passengers were on the bus when it struck the child.

Wilmot says the driver did submit to drug and alcohol testing after the collision.

"This was not because of a suspicion, but because that is out standard operating procedure as part of the investigation," Wilmot said. "We're trying to help local authorities as much as we can."

Parker did not know the exact time the child was airlifted, and the Woodstock Police Department is investigating the collision.

Woodstock Police could not be reached for comment.