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UPDATE: Montclair School Bus Crash Remains Under Investigation

Montclair

Authorities said at approximately 9:06 a.m., Montclair Police responded to the intersection of Park Street and Wildwood Avenue on a report of a motor vehicle accident involving a school bus.

Officials said a preliminary investigation indicated that the 85-year-old driver of a 2008 Toyota Rav 4  from Belleville was driving west on Wildwood Avenue when it entered the intersection with Park Street and struck a school bus, which was traveling south on Park Street.

After the initial collision, police said the 54-year-old female school bus driver mounted the western curb, struck a utility pole and a fire hydrant before coming to rest.

At the time of the collision, the bus was en route to the Hillside School, an elementary at Hillside Avenue and Orange Road, and was occupied by 15 juvenile students as well as an aide.

The Montclair Fire Department, Montclair Ambulance Unit, as well as EMS units from Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, and Cedar Grove also responded to the scene.

Representatives from Hillside School, including the school nurse, were also on the scene.

Police said all the students were assisted off of the bus safely and evaluated by EMS.

There were no injuries reported to any of the students and none were transported to the hospital.

Each student was released to a parent on scene.

The 60-year-old school bus aide sustained a swollen knee and was transported by ambulance to Clara Mass Medical Center in Belleville.

The bus driver complained of head, neck, and back pain and was transported by ambulance to St Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson.

Police said the operator of the Toyota Rav 4 complained of pain in his head, neck, and back and was transported by ambulance to Mountainside Hospital.

His 24-year old male passenger also complained of shoulder and head pain then was transported to Mountainside Hospital by ambulance.

Police said both vehicles were towed from the scene while PSE&G responded to replace the damaged utility pole.

Police issued the driver of the Toyota two summonses for Failure to Stop/Yield and Careless Driving.

The accident remains under investigation.

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