Bus Driver Cited in New Port Richey Crash

A 53-year-old New Port Richey school bus driver was cited after Florida Highway Patrol troopers say she rear-ended a vehicle early Monday morning.

According to a highway patrol report, Teresa Ann Cooney was traveling south on Moon Lake Road around 7:20 a.m. with 33 River Ridge middle and high school students on board her bus. At that time, a Mazda 3 driven by Karen Coffin, 58, of New Port Richey was traveling in front of her. Coffin, the patrol said, stopped ahead of the bus north of Ridge Road, but the bus failed to stop.

The front of the bus hit the rear of Coffin’s Mazda, the report said.

No one on board the bus was injured. Coffin and her 16-year-old passenger, however, both suffered minor injuries, the patrol stated.

Cooney was cited for careless driving.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol