N.J. School Bus Driver Collapses While Driving Kids, Crashes, Dies

A New Jersey school bus driver collapsed while he was driving kids to school Wednesday, and then died later, police said.

Several West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South students tried to stop the school bus after the driver suffered a medical episode, and before it hit a tree, according to police.

The 73-year-old driver, who was not identified, died when he was taken to University Medical Center at Princeton-Plainsboro after he passed out behind the wheel at 3:11 p.m. on Zaitz Farm Road, according to police.

There were seven West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South Students on board the bus at the time of the collision. Several of the students attempted to assist the driver after the collision.

One student, 14 years of age, reported pain in her wrist/hand area, but declined any medical attention at the scene. No other injuries were reported or observed.

At 3:11 p.m., traffic and patrol unit were dispatched to Zaitz Farm Road where they found a bus had struck a tree branch and then struck another tree, where it came to its final resting place off the roadway.

A student, Tanuj Redui, told News12 he knew something was wrong when the bus started drifting, and he started hearing the rustle of the branches. He and other students tried to help the driver and called 911.

The students were able to untangle the driver’s seat belt and stop the bus, and some students tried to keep the driver calm, according to the reports. Raj Datta says his daughter was on the bus at the time and suffered a wrist injury.

“I came over into the bus I tried to help him up a little bit, free his hands and legs,” Datta told News12.

All students were able to get off the bus through the emergency exit and waited until emergency services arrived, according to the reports.

Photo courtesy of News12