A school bus carrying 26 Cherry Brook Primary School students and a car collided around 9 a.m. Tuesday morning at Maple Avenue and Route 179, police said.
Preliminary reports indicate the bus driver, Elizabeth Parnell from MJ Bus Company was driving the bus north on Route 179, went to take a left turn to continue on the route and hit a Volkswagen sedan, operated by Andrew Berling of West Simsbury, traveling south on Maple Avenue, according to police. The VW then hit a jeep, drive by Jaquline Skenderidis of Canton, police said.
Berling was taken to the University of Connecticut Health Center, seen in the Emergency Department but not admitted to the hospital, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
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All the students were evaluated, two more closely, but none were transported, officials said.
Skenderidis was not injured, police said.
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Superintendent of Schools Kevin Case said the students were evaluated by medics on the scene and the nursing supervisor for the school district. They were seen again by the school nurse at Cherry Brook, he said. Two were looked at more closely on scene but ended up going to school when Martel Transportation brought another bus to the scene.
“Thank goodness there were no injuries,” Case said.
Case said parents were called during the incident and again when the students arrived at school.
A third vehicle was also peripherally involved in the crash but that driver was not injured.
The Town of Canton Fire and EMS Department, the Police Department, school officials and some medics from surrounding areas all responded to the scene. Maple Avenue remained open for most of the morning but traffic was restricted to one lane during the incident.
Police Chief Christopher Arciero was thankful children weren’t seriously hurt.
“Thank goodness it was all minor injuries,” he said.
Case and Arciero both said the bus driver and another adult on the bus handled the situation well, made calls and remained calm.
No charges have been filed. By 10 a.m. the scene was mostly cleared.
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