California Highway Patrol

On September 30, 2009 at about 7:20 am, a traffic collision occurred involving a pickup truck and an Ojai Unified School District bus on Baldwin Rd. at Los Encinos Rd.

Kim Fullenwider, age 53 of Ojai, was driving a school bus as she was traveling westbound on Baldwin Rd approaching Los Encinos Rd. She was picking up students on her regular route. There were thirty-one students on the school bus from Meiners Oaks Elementary School, Nordhoff High School and Matillija Jr. High School.

Dimitrios Poulos, age 60 from Ojai, was driving a Ford pickup truck traveling eastbound on Baldwin Rd. approaching Los Encinos Rd. Fullenwider made a u-turn in the intersection of Baldwin Rd. at Los Encinos Rd. directly ahead of Poulos’ vehicle. Poulos applied his brakes but could not stop in time. The right front end of Poulos’ vehicle struck the right rear end of the school bus.

Poulos’ vehicle sustained major front end damage in the collision. The school bus sustained moderate right rear end damage. Another bus driver was dispatched to the collision scene and transported the students to their respective schools. No one was injured in the collision.

Fullenwider was determined to be driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. She was arrested for driving under the influence and was booked into the Ventura County Jail. Fullenwider was also charged with child endangerment. Fullenwider has been a school bus driver for the Ojai Unified School District for 19 years. The collision is still under investigation.