Region 14 Bus Crashes, Driver Issued Infraction

A Region 14 bus driver was issued an infraction for Failing to Obey a Stop Sign after an accident in Woodbury Monday. The accident was the second the bus driver has been in this school year, according to police reports.

Phillip Fragale, 65, of Heritage Village pulled into the intersection of Route 64 and Parkland Road Monday at approximately 4:30 p.m. and failed to obey a stop sign, police reports say.

The bus was struck on the left rear by a 2005 Infiniti G35 traveling west on Rt. 64. The vehicle was registered to Michael Armstrong, of 10 Deerwood Lane in Woodbury.

According to police reports there was heavy damage to the left rear of the bus and it also sustained a diesel fuel leak, which was partially drained into a catch basin.

Campion Ambulance transported the driver of the car to Waterbury Hospital with complaints of neck, shoulder and knee pain. The school bus had three students on board, according to police reports. The students were released to their parents while Fragale refused medical assistance.

The Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and a contractor hired to clean the spill, mitigated the diesel fuel leak.

The accident was Fragale’s second this school year. In December, while driving a group of 17 Nonnewaug High School students, Fragale veered off the road and struck a pole traveling south on Parkland Road, according to police reports.

The bus slid off the southbound shoulder and struck a CL&P pole. No injuries were reported and the bus was towed due to damage sustained in the crash.