Can a paper cup smash a bus windshield?

Most would think not. Unfortunately, it's true, and the proof came last week at the expense of an Enumclaw School District bus.

Nov. 22, a bus carrying 11 elementary students between the ages of 5 and 9 was traveling west on state Route 410, near the upper intersection with Mud Mountain Road. At approximately 8:25 a.m. a white pickup approached, traveling in the opposite direction. The driver of the pickup tossed a beverage cup, filled with ice and orange juice, at the oncoming bus.

The cup smashed into the upper right corner of the windshield, sending glass onto the driver and back into the third row of seats. The cup was imbedded in the windshield. The driver brought the bus to a stop without incident.

The fleeing vehicle was described by the driver as a white, early-model Ford or Chevrolet pickup. The driver believed the truck was occupied by two white men in their mid-20s.

The Washington State Patrol was handling the investigation.