Police push veterans in wheelchairs a half-mile to Pirates game after bus crashes into a bridge

A group of veterans seemed destined to miss the Pittsburgh Pirates’ game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday after their bus crashed into a bridge about a half-mile from PNC Park.

The driver taking them from the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home in Erie, Pa., underestimated the height of the bus and got it wedged under an overpass, tearing the roof back in the process.

But no one was injured, and the group really wanted to see that ballgame. Another bus was on its way, but it wouldn’t get there in nearly enough time to make that happen.

So some police officers who had responded to the accident and staff members of the nursing home decided to make sure those veterans got to their game and pushed members of the group in wheelchairs from the site of the wreck to the stadium.

“All these individuals decided they were not hurt. We’ve evaluated them. They all want to go to the game and the officers are taking them,” Chief Jeffrey Meyer from City of Pittsburgh EMS told KDKA-TV.

“It’s just public safety working at its best. It’s a team effort. Continue on with some great Pirate fans and now everyone is going to have a wonderful outcome.”

Air Force veteran Ken Cotter was thankful for everything the officers did for him and his friends that day.

“They always show up when you need them, if you’re lucky,” Cotter said. “And today I was very lucky.”

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii

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