Students escape serious injury in Pa. school bus crash

October 11, 2008|By DON AINES

MERCERSBURG, Pa. -- Thirteen James Buchanan high school and middle school students were taken to Chambersburg (Pa.) Hospital as a precaution Friday after the school bus they were on was struck from behind by a Dodge Durango, according to a Pennsylvania State Police press release.

The accident happened about 8 a.m. as Bus 24 was stopped at a bus stop on Mercersburg Road near Garnes Road in Montgomery Township, Pa., police said.

The 13 students were the only children aboard the bus at the time, police said. None of the students had serious injuries and the bus driver was uninjured, police said.

All of the students were out of the hospital by about noon, James Buchanan High School Principal Rodney Benedick said. Most went home with their parents, but five chose to return to school for the remainder of the day, he said.

Mathew A. Stahl, 20, of Mercersburg, the driver of the Durango, was cited for careless driving, police said.

Ambulances from the Mercersburg, Montgomery, Peters and Warren Volunteer Fire Co. were aided by ambulances from the St. Thomas, Greencastle and Marion fire companies, a firefighter said Friday morning. Mercersburg Road was closed for about two hours and traffic was rerouted around the crash scene, he said.

Benedick said he went to the crash scene along with the Tuscarora School District's transportation director and two social workers.

The district's Web site stated that all parents of the students had been contacted by Benedick and Superintendent Rebecca Erb.

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