RI-Bound School Bus Crashes Into Woods Off Route 24
BERKLEY, MA — All 25 people aboard a school bus that crashed on its way back to Tiverton, RI, were rushed to hospitals late Saturday night, and the driver of another car is accused of driving under the influence, according to police.
The passengers on the bus ranged in age from very young children to elderly adults. The severity of injuries varied, but injuries were not initially believed to be life-threatening. Two adults were seriously injured, police said.
Police arrested the driver of the other car that went off the road and plan to charge that person with operating under the influence of alcohol. Police are still investigating whether that caused the crash.
A mass casualty incident was declared, bringing in mutual aid in the form of fire trucks and ambulances from approximately a dozen cities and towns.
The passengers were transported to Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Charlton Memorial Hospital and Morton Hospital.
Shortly after 10 p.m., police, fire and EMS units from multiple jurisdictions were called to Route 24 southbound in Berkley near shy of exit 10 after dispatch centers received multiple 911 calls that an occupied school bus had crashed and had possibly rolled over. Early reports indicated people were trapped on the bus. Police later clarified the bus did not roll over, but it had gone off the road into the woods.
Rt. 24 was shut down for more than an hour on Saturday evening with vehicles detoured off the highway at exit 11. One exit was re-opened southbound shortly after 11 p.m.
The incident occurred in Berkley, and the incident will be under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police.
More to come as information becomes available
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