No injuries reported in Gardiner school bus/car collision

No one was injured when a motorist, apparently blinded by the sun, struck the back end of a school bus and ended up with the front of his car under the bus on U.S. Route 201 at Nazarene Way in Gardiner.

Sixteen elementary school children were on the bus when the collision occurred at 3:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Gardiner firefighters and police officers, along with a tow truck driver, work at the scene of a collision between a car and a school bus on Tuesday on U.S. Route 201 in Gardiner. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

“All the children were in their seats,” Gardiner police Sgt. Stacey Blair said. “Nobody got hurt.”

Blair said the bus was traveling south on U.S. Route 201, also called Brunswick Avenue, when it stopped at the intersection.

“The sun at that time of day sits right at the crest of the hill, and the driver in a vehicle behind the bus did not see the bus stopping,” he said.

Blair said the car that hit the bus was a Chrysler sedan driven by Michael Welch, 57, of South Gardiner.

The School Administrative District 11 bus, driven by Kim Weston, sustained minor damage.

Jon Stonier, director of operations for the Gardiner area school district, said another bus finished driving the route.

Superintendent Patricia Hopkins said via email, “Fortunately, no one was injured. Buses will run as usual (Wednesday).”

Blair said that while the crash remains under investigation, he did not anticipate charges being filed. He said the cause would be listed as “environmental.”

Betty Adams — 621-5631

[email protected]

Twitter: @betadams

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