No students were injured when a school bus was rear-ended Wednesday morning in Cumberland, according to school officials.
The crash involving Bus No. 4 occurred on Blanchard Road near Frankie Lane around 7:45 a.m. when the driver of a Ford Escape hit the bus from behind. The bus was stopped with its stop sign out at the time, said Lt. David Young of the Cumberland Police Department.
“The sun was blinding in the area and is believed to be a factor in the accident,” Young said.
The driver of the car, 58-year-old Reginald Cameron of Cumberland, was not injured and was not cited by police, Young said. The bus was driven by 44-year-old Pamela Stone.
Scott Poulin, director of operations for the school district, said the bus was nearing the end of its run and was carrying 21 high school and middle school students and one driver. The students ranged in age from 11 to 14, according to police.
“I thought our driver, Pam Stone, did a great job with the students,” Poulin said, adding district staff and emergency responders also handled the situation well.
The students were transferred to another bus and taken to school after their parents were notified. One student who was born in 2005 complained of knee pain and was picked up by a parent at the scene, Young said.
Damage to the school bus appears to be limited to the rear bumper and it was driven from the scene after the crash. The airbags deployed and fluids leaked from the Ford Escape, so it was towed from the scene by a local company.
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