Police look into death of Batesville school bus driver

Wanda English Burnett
Editor

When a school bus driver did not show up for work for two days straight, authorities began to get concerned.

Peter A. Sturm, 46, a school bus driver for the Batesville School Corporation didn’t come to work on Monday, January 17, nor did he call in. On Tuesday, January 18 when he didn’t come or call school authorities became concerned for his welfare, since he was a dependable employee.

Trooper Barry Bischoff of the Indiana State Police Versailles District, was dispatched to his residence on Weatherman Road in Franklin County to try to find out if he was home, or get information about his whereabouts.

A neighbor of Sturm’s along with Trooper Bischoff went to the missing man’s home where they received no response from inside the home or from any outbuildings on the property. The neighbor noted that Sturm would often cut wood on his property.

The two walked into a wooded area on Sturm’s property where about 8:30 a.m. they found the missing man’s body. Police say he apparently was cutting a tree sometime over the weekend when it fell on him causing massive head trauma and internal injuries.

Sturm was pronounced dead at the scene by representatives of the Franklin County Coroner’s office.