2 More Lawsuits Filed Over Deadly Farmingdale HS Bus Crash

FARMINGDALE, NY — Two more families of Farmingdale High School marching band students who were injured in the Orange County bus crash on Sept. 21 have sued the bus company and the driver.

Erica Alter, a Garden City lawyer, filed the lawsuits Wednesday with the Nassau County Supreme Court on behalf of parents Michael and Wendy Adamo and Christopher and Christine Lyons.

The suits claim that Nesconset-based Regency Transportation and the bus driver's "negligence, gross negligence, recklessness and carelessness" caused the crash that killed the school's band director, a chaperone, and injured dozens of students, some critically.

Both suits allege the driver has a "history" of disobeying traffic laws and that her "reckless and careless" driving was a factor in the crash.

The suits claim that a tire or tires and other parts on the bus were "unsafe, dangerous and defective."

Regency declined Patch's request for comment.

Band director Gina Pellettiere, 43, of Massapequa, and retired teacher Beatrice Ferrari, 77, of Farmingdale, died in the crash. Pellettiere was the single mother of a 2-year-old son, while Ferrari was a retired teacher who chaperoned band camp every year.

The bus was headed to Greeley, Pennsylvania, for the school marching band's annual band camp trip when it crashed and tumbled down a 50-foot ravine.

Another family sued the bus company and driver in late September. Lawrence Doreson, the father of a 14-year-old Farmingdale High School student, filed the suit and is represented by Andrew Finkelstein of Jacoby & Meyers Personal Injury Attorneys in Newburgh.

Regency Transportation, in a Facebook post in October, said "early indications" are the cap blew off the tire, causing the crash.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the people that were involved in the tragic accident that occurred [Sept. 21], and all the families," the company wrote in a post dated Sept. 22. "We are cooperating with authorities at this time."

The new tire was made by Bridgestone, the bus company wrote. The tire came with the bus when the company purchased it, and Regency said it did not install it.

Bridgestone did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment in October.

"Additionally, authorities stated that if the seatbelts provided were worn, the injuries would have been minimal," Regency wrote on Facebook.