School Bus Driver Found To Be At Fault In Vernon Crash That Left Students Injured, Police Report Shows.

VERNON, CT — The driver of the Vernon public school system system bus that collided with a commercial van on Feb. 19 was found to be at fault, a crash report released Monday indicates.

In all, five special education students aboard the mini bus were injured. Six students were aboard in all.

The 74-year-old driver was cited in a ticket with failure to grant the right of way at a highway junction.

The crash was at the Route 83-Pleasant View Drive intersection. Police were called to the scene at about 3:35 p.m. and found the the van with heavy front-end
damage and the bus with driver's side rear damage at one of the back wheels, including a shattered window.

The school bus was carrying children from Vernon's Skinner Road School. According to the crash report, the bus driver told investigators that he was headed east on Pleasant View Drive. He told investigators stopped at the stop sign and noticed no oncoming traffic on Route 83, according to a crash report.

The driver said he then began making a left-hand turn onto Route 83, when the van appeared heading south on Route 83, toward the Vernon Circle area.

The vehicles then collided.

The crash report included a diagram:

The report detailed the student injuries:

• A 9-year-old seated in 3A reportred head pain and was transported to Rockville General Hospital
• A 6-year-old seated in 2A reported head pain and was taken to RGH.
• A 6-year-old seated in 5A sustained a laceration to the chin and was missing a tooth. She was taken to Connecticut Children's Medical Center.
• A 5-year-old seated in 5A reported abdominal pain and was taken to RGH.
• A 6-year-old was seated in 2G and reported head pain and was taken to RGH.
• An 11-year-old was seated in 3G and was not hurt.

The van driver told investigators that his speed was between 40 and 45 mph, according to the crash report. The van driver said he saw the bus make a left-hand turn and could not slow down in time.