Chain Reaction Accident with School Bus Sends One to Hospital

GREENFIELD – A four-vehicle collision involving an Upper Township school bus sent one driver to a local trauma center.
According to State Police, the accident occurred at 8:49 a.m. Dec. 6 on Route 50 in the area of Tyler Road.
“The school bus was stopped on Route 50 to pick up children,” said Richard Cushinotto, Director of Transportation for Upper Township School District. He added the empty bus was standing at its first stop of its route with its lights on. The children had not yet entered the bus and were still standing on their driveway at the time of the accident.The accident occurred during the time students in pre-kindergarten to fifth grade are transported. Two vehicles were sitting stopped behind the bus when the accident occurred.
“We were fortunate they were the first,” said Cushinotto, noting the collision could have been far more serious if the bus had been filled with students.
State Police stated Michele Higbee, 20, of Seaville, was driving a Ford Taurus in the northbound lanes of the highway when, “for unknown reason,” it failed to stop and struck a Dodge Ram van driven by Mark Nelson, 46 of Villas. The collision caused the van to strike a Volkswagen Jetta operated by Jacques Benino, 32, of Ocean View. Benino’s vehicle then collided with the school bus, driven by Charles Woolson, 46, of Court House. Also on board the bus were two bus aides.
Cushinotto, who responded to the scene of the crash, said the school bus driver and aides were uninjured and the bus was not damaged by the collision.
“The bus did what it was supposed to do,” Cushinotto told this newspaper.“There was no damage to the bus.”
Six victims were evaluated on scene. One driver complained of chest pain at the scene and was taken by ambulance to a local trauma center as a precautionary measure. Five other victims refused treatment.
The accident reduced traffic on Route 50 to one lane, causing significant delays for more than one hour.
In addition to State Police, emergency personnel from Seaville Volunteer Fire Company and Upper Township Rescue Squad responded to the accident.