A female motorist has been charged with multiple violations of motor vehicle laws and regulations after she was involved in an accident with a Lexington school bus on March 1.
According to authorities from the Lexington Police Department, who are investigating the case, the woman has been charged, amongst other things, for marked lanes and turning violations. The accident occurred early in the morning on Friday, March 1, at approximately 8.15am. According to eye witness reports, the female motorist made an illegal turn on the portion of road between Spring Street and Route 2. A number 28 school bus carrying pupils from Three Bridge Elementary School was in the southbound lane when the woman turned in front of the bus. The driver was unable to avoid her and struck into the female motorist’s vehicle.
The woman’s vehicle, which was a small SUV, spun out of control after it was hit by the bus and struck an oncoming vehicle in the adjacent lane. Traffic was diverted from Spring Street for around an hour following the accident, to allow emergency responders to assess the injured, transport passengers from the scene and clear the wreckage of the bus and two motor cars involved in the incident. There were approximately 20 students from Three Bridge Elementary School on board the bus at the time of the incident, all between the ages of 8 and 11.
Three of the students as well as the female motorist were transported to local hospitals following the accident, where they were assessed and treated for minor injuries. The students were taken to Emerson Hospital in Concord by ambulance, while the adult woman was taken to Lahey Clinic emergency department in Burlington. A spokesperson from the Lexington Public Schools department said that the students were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure, and have since been released from hospital and reunited with their parents.
“All other students have been assessed and evaluated by school staff and Lexington emergency responders”, said the spokesperson in a press release. “All students are doing fine”. Three Bridge Elementary School staff offered the students involved the accident emotional support.
Authorities have not yet revealed when the motorists trial will be and have not released the motorist’s identity. If found guilty of the charges, the woman will have to pay up to $5000 in fines and may have her driver’s license suspended.