8 Hurt In School Bus Crash On Staten Island
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Eight people, including some children, have been taken to the hospital following a crash involving a school bus on Staten Island.
The incident happened just before 8 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Oakdale Street and Preston Avenue in the Eltingville section of the borough.
A black pickup truck was traveling west on Oakdale Street when it broadsided the mini-bus, CBS 2's Kathryn Brown reported.
8 Hurt In School Bus Crash On Staten Island
The bus, which was carrying four special needs children between the ages of 5 and 9, overturned. Video of the scene showed the bus on its side and the pickup truck with extensive damage to its front end.
8 Hurt In School Bus Crash On Staten Island
The driver of the truck, identified by his father as FDNY Captain Gary Cline, was taking his 14-year-old daughter to school at the time of the crash, Brown reported.
"He said that the school bus did not stop at the stop sign and he tried to avoid it and he hit the school bus and flipped it over," Cline's father, Jim, told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond.
Cline and his daughter were taken to the hospital.
The children, bus driver and matron have all been hospitalized, Department of Education spokeswoman Margie Feinberg said.
"I saw the children being brought out to the ambulance," witness Maria Martarella said. "I can't imagine how their parents are gonna feel receiving that phone call."
The injuries are considered serious, but non-life threatening, 1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg reported.
Police said nothing indicates speed was a factor in the crash, but neighbors said the intersection is notorious for speeding and have been begging the city for stop signs and speed bumps for years.
"I'm disgusted with this place, nobody wants to help us," witness Anthony Magnavito said. "I've had petitions, they refuse to make a slow zone over here on Oakdale Street. I don't know what to do anymore."
"Unfortunately it has to take a tragic event to get attention and people to help us," Martarella said. "But it's so sad how we begged for 12 years. This is not a year, this is not months, this is 12 years."
The investigation is ongoing. So far, police have not issued a summons to either driver, Brown reported.
All of those involved in the crash were expected to recover.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories:
