Police: Rte. 2 Wreck In East Hartford Caused By Motorist Passing Bus In Shoulder

EAST HARTFORD, CT — A 45-year-old motorist's attempt to pass a small bus on Route 2 in a breakdown lane Sunday afternoon led to a serious crash, prompting state police Monday to issue a call for the public's help in their investigation.

According to Connecticut State Police Monday, "serious" injuries were reported in the 1:37 p.m. crash, with a teenage passenger of a sport utility vehicle being ejected after it rolled down an embankment.

Police Monday released the accident report, which provided added details regarding the frightening accident.

According to police, a Greater Hartford Transit Ford Econoline bus and a 2011 Ford Escape XLT were both traveling east on Route 2 in East Hartford, just past Exit 5D.

Police, in an accident report released Monday morning, said the driver of the Escape attempted to pass the bus by driving in the left-hand shoulder.

When the shoulder narrowed, however, police said the Ford Escape's driver "attempted to cut back into the left lane, where his vehicle struck the left front fender/wheel area" of the bus.

Police said the SUV then veered to the right and rolled down an embankment, "causing the rear passenger to be ejected."

Both the 45-year-old driver of the SUV and the 14-year-old rear passenger who was ejected sustained "suspected serious injuries."

Police said the 14-year-old was not wearing a seat belt, while the driver and a 39-year-old female front passenger did have seat belts.

According to the accident report, the 39-year-old woman had "minor" injuries.

All occupants in the SUV are from Norwich, police said.

No injuries were reported in the bus, which was occupied by a driver and one passenger, the driver being a 52-year-old Hartford man and the passenger a 48-year-old Manchester woman.

Both bus occupants were wearing their seat belts, police said.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact state police trooper Michael Deane at 860-534-1000 or Michael.Deane@ct.gov.

To see the full Connecticut State Police accident report, click on this link.