Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    NJ school bus crash kills 1, injures 17

    By BETH DeFALCO | Associated Press – Thu, Feb 16, 2012

    CHESTERFIELD, N.J. (AP) — A dump truck collided Thursday with a bus carrying elementary schoolchildren, killing an 11-year-old daughter of a state trooper and injuring 17 other students, two of them critically. The dead girl's triplet sisters were also on the bus and were among the injured, a person briefed on the investigation said.

    The crash occurred just after 8 a.m. at a four-way intersection in the town of Chesterfield, south of Trenton, sending the bus, which was carrying 25 students, crashing sideways into a traffic signal pole, crumpling the side of the bus.

    Chesterfield police Chief Kyle Wilson said the details are still being sorted out, but that the bus had a stop sign while the dump truck had a flashing yellow light. He said it was not clear whether the bus was attempting to cross the intersection or turn when the collision happened.

    Authorities did not give the names of the driver of either vehicle. Both were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

    A person who was briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press the girl who was killed is a triplet — and that her two sisters were also on the bus. One was seriously injured and the other had minor injuries, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release details.

    State police at the scene confirmed the death of the child and identified her as the daughter of a trooper.

    At a news conference Thursday afternoon, authorities would not confirm that the girl was the daughter of a trooper or that she was a triplet. Another news conference was scheduled for later Thursday.

    Camden's Cooper University Hospital, which has a trauma unit, received three of the most seriously injured students and they were listed in critical condition, a spokeswoman said. Authorities later said that one of the three students at Cooper was in "guarded" rather than critical condition.

    Students with less severe injuries were taken to three other hospitals in the area.

    A boy being taken from the scene by his mother told the AP "this big truck just came and slammed right into us." His mother did not want his name used.

    The boy said the crash left some of his fellow students with bloody faces.

    Students on the bus said they were wearing their seatbelts.

    Gov. Chris Christie issued a statement saying his "thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved." He planned to comment further after more information was released on the accident.

     

    76 comments

    • RobinP
      RobinP  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      Prayers to this childs family.
    • Justin
      Justin  •  3 mths ago
      That is heart wrenching, GOD BLESS all involved!!!!
    • shonda young
      shonda young  •  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      Such a sad story, prayers for everyone involved especially the family of the fallen little girl. R.I.P.little angel
    • MarkD
      MarkD  •  Alexandria, Virginia  •  3 mths ago
      I hope the state trooper whose daughter was killed didn't respond to the accident. And a triplet too. I can't imagine what this family is going through.
      • Ann Marie
        Ann Marie 3 mths ago
        The other two siblings are in critical condition in the hospital.
    • Sarah
      Sarah  •  3 mths ago
      My heart goes out to the family of the child who died. 11years old is too young to die. I can't imagine what it's like, one second thinking about school, or homework, knowing what she wanted to be when she grew up. Then everything ending. My condolences especially to the sisters. May the girl rest in peace.
    • Crystal
      Crystal  •  3 mths ago
      Please stop and think about what you write today. Respect the family's privacy during this awful time. Prayers go out to all invovled!!!
    • MAD MACK
      MAD MACK  •  3 mths ago
      A very sad story. I lost my best friend 30 years ago Valentine's day to a car crash. The pain his mother went through was almost unbearable to witness. And it still haunts me to this day.It's time to put belts in buses.
      • mrshvd3
        mrshvd3 3 mths ago
        The school bus has seatbelts and they were in use.
    • plsthnku
      plsthnku  •  Lehighton, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      So sorry to hear.
    • Kevin B
      Kevin B  •  3 mths ago
      so sad, i heard about this from one of my friends who lives just across the road from the scene... so amazing how fragile life can be...
    • starlight
      starlight  •  3 mths ago
      School buses don't have seatbelts- at least the ones I rode while growing up didn't. Somehow, in this age of cost cutting and budget freezes, I doubt that has changed very much. My prayers are with the families of those injured, and with the family of the girl who died. RIP, sweet angel.
      • Shawn
        Shawn 3 mths ago
        i didn't remember there ever being seatbelts on school buses either. at least not as recent as 2002, when I graduated. may have changed since then though.
      • A Yahoo! User 3 mths ago
        Actually I went to that school and recently moved. The buses do have seat-belts
      • trx03
        trx03 3 mths ago
        It has nothing to do with cost cutting.

        There is no practical way to install safe seat belts in a school bus that will correctly fit kids of all sizes, anywhere from preschoolers up through six-plus-foot-tall high schoolers. Even if there was a way to safely design it, how would the driver get all of the kids correctly into the belts? Some of those buses hold over 80 kids, and some bus stops load many kids, sometimes dozens, all at once. Is the driver supposed to sit blocking the street while he or she gets out of the driver's seat at every stop and personally buckles all of the kids in who just got on the bus, and then go back and release each one when they get off the bus in the afternoon? And what would stop the kids from releasing the belts once the bus got going? How about in case of a crash or fire, how would you get dozens of kids released from belts and evacuated before it was too late, especially if the driver was incapacitated. The buses that carry handicapped kids that must be strapped in or their wheelchairs tied down almost always carry a second driver or an "aide" to help get them correctly strapped in because even though those "short buses" carry far fewer students than the typical "long" school bus, it's generally more than the driver alone can handle if he or she is expected to keep the bus moving.
    • dairysqueen
      dairysqueen  •  Union, New Jersey  •  3 mths ago
      Such a sad story is even nightmarish for readers. Even more so if they are parents...How sad.
    • Natalie
      Natalie  •  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      I realize that we don't have all the facts yet, but I can say as someone who used to live in South Jersey that those dump trucks are the scariest things on the road. The way they barrell down the highways at top speed carrying all that weight is horrifying. I know that nothing will be able to comfort the parents of the deceased child or those who were injured, but I truly hope that some good legislation regarding these vehicles comes about out of this. It's unfortunate that these things have to happen before things can be changed. Hopefully one day soon we will make common sense laws about situations before they cause a tragedy.
      • mike
        mike 3 mths ago
        I still live in the area and you are 100% right they drive like they own the road
      • Q
        Q 3 mths ago
        I live in PA and I agree with you. Most dump trucks around here think they are driving sports cars weaving in and out of traffic at top speed and think that they can stop on a dime. However, I also know bus drivers think they have the right of way no matter what. Bus driver should have played it safe.
      • Alec
        Alec 3 mths ago
        It's a shame, really. This is the very reason I always check my clearance when passing through an intersection. Drivers can't be trusted, so you can't be too careful.
    • Tammie
      Tammie  •  3 mths ago
      Thoughts and prayers going out to all involved. hopefully the children that are in hospital will make recoveries and be home soon!!
    • Antonio
      Antonio  •  3 mths ago
      I live one town over and pass by that exact intersection every day on the way to work. A few years ago we had a similar accident at one of these flashing intersections where one boy was killed another girl was left with brain damage. Both my town and Chesterfield townships utilize these #$%$ flashing lights where there should be a stop sign or an actual traffic light. It took one boys death for them to install a traffic light at the location from years ago, hopefully now we see some traffic lights installed around the area. Both towns horde their money and their budgets and then spend it on things we don't need. We just spent over $22 million dollars on an elementary school for grades 5 and 6 for the 3 surrounding townships and children of the military families from McGuire AFB. Keep in mind this school was built right next to an existing school and only caters to 2 grades. Yet we cant drop the money on something that's going to get these kids to school safely?
    • Courtney
      Courtney  •  3 mths ago
      Wow i wish the best for the family god bless guys
    • Sarah
      Sarah  •  3 mths ago
      Thank goodness no one else was killed. To the family- I'm so sorry for your loss.My you remember her with love.
    • Michael
      Michael  •  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      So sad for all involved. Prayers go out to all the children that were injured and a heart felt sorrow to the little angel that died.
    • Hard work
      Hard work  •  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      Cherish everything you have everyday!! You just never know what life has in store for you, there are no guarantees for tomorrow. So Sad my prayers go out to the families of those children.... I can't even imagine and I never want to know...
    • Jimi
      Jimi  •  Waynesboro, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      Gotta be every parents nightmare......every time the kids come+go to school....or an outing...whatever...we always Pray for their safe return.....If that was my child..grand child...I'd be a basket case....We should never take our kids for granted...
    • SherylS
      SherylS  •  3 mths ago
      Prayers out for all the children, driver and families. Very sad.
     Post a comment
    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
    [ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

    News For You

    Loading...