School Bus Carrying Special Needs Children Loses Control, Nearly Hits House In New Jersey
PASSAIC, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – A school bus carrying special needs children in New Jersey lost control and veered onto a lawn Tuesday afternoon.
Sources told CBS2 the accident occurred around 3:45 p.m. at McKinley and Pine Streets in Passaic.
Authorities say four elementary school children were on the bus at the time.
CBS2'S Ali Bauman has learned that the bus flew down the hill, jumped the curb, went onto the lawn of a Passaic home and hit a fence.
The bus stopped short, right before plowing into the house.
Parents of a nine-year-old boy who was on the bus told Bauman the driver parked to drop off their son outside their house, but the aid on board couldn't get the wheelchair lift to go down. The driver then turned off the engine and she told police when she turned it back on the brakes wouldn't work.
"I saw it move, then everything happened so quick. I saw it crash my car in the back and I don't know what I was thinking. I was running after the bus, it was very scary," the child's aunt, Sandra Almonte said.
"I am so relieved he's fine. I didn't think about anything but his well-being and the rest of the children," mother Bricia Reyes said.
The bus company manager says the school bus was inspected Tuesday morning and the driver has been with the company for two years and has never had an accident with them.
The children are being examined at a local hospital however, there have been no reports of any serious injuries.
