UPDATE: 34 Students Transported to Hospitals Following Bus Accident

A total of 34 Lexington METCO students were transported to area hospitals following a school bus accident this morning in Newton. Only 11 of the middle-schoolers were complaining about pain or injuries at the scene, and two made it to school after being released from the hospital earlier this morning.

That’s right, two middle school students decided to come to school after the accident instead of letting the scheduled half-day turn into a whole day off.

And they did it, according to Assistant Superintendent Carol Pilarski, because they’d committed to be tour guides for “Moving-Up Day,” which gives fifth-grade students the chance to spend a day at the middle schools where they’ll enroll next year.

The bus involved in this morning’s three-vehicle collision was METCO bus #142, which was carrying 34 students to Lexington’s Clarke and Diamond middle schools, according to a statement Pilarski provided this morning, which said EMTs on site recommended all of the students be transported to area hospitals for examination.

For reactions from students, check out this video from 7News.

Pilarski said only a dozen or so students were actually complaining of pain or injuries following the accident, and the parents and/or guardians of all students have been notified and met with their children at hospitals.

All of the injuries appeared to be minor, Pilarski said.

The Crash

The accident occurred around 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Route 9 and Woodcliff Road in Newton and backed up traffic for several miles.

Preliminary reports indicated the bus rear-ended a vehicle stopped at a traffic light, causing the struck vehicle to rear-end another vehicle, Newton Patch reported this morning.  The bus is equipped with a camera that could provide additional details of the accident, according to Pilarski.  

According to 7News at noon, the bus and driver were also involved in another accident this year, but was not at fault.

Investigators will provide a full accident report to LPS and METCO officials and to AA Transportation, the bus company that handles transportation for METCO students, when one becomes available.

The involved bus was transporting students to Lexington’s Clarke and Diamond middle schools. Another METCO bus bound for those schools made it here without incident, according to Pilarski.