The driver of a car was killed and at least one student was trapped in a school bus following a crash between the car and the bus Monday afternoon, according to first responder emergency communications.
The wreck occurred at the intersection of Hardscrabble and East Trap Pond roads near Laurel around 3:40 p.m., according to Delaware State Police. The agency did not release any additional information.
According to USA Today network freelance photographer Wayne Barrall, the car hit the side of the school bus, causing it to roll. Photos and video from the scene show it on its side surrounded by first responders.
The car could be seen in the grass nearby, also overturned. First responder communications indicate the driver was the person who died. Photos from the scene show tarps covering the vehicle.
Barrall said one student was trapped in the bus and had to be extracted by firefighters. He said the driver stayed inside to keep the student calm. Both were later able to get out of the bus.
Photos show the front windshield of the bus missing as well as two safety hatches on the top of the bus, which are built to allow passengers to escape, open.
It’s unclear exactly how many students were on the bus at the time of the wreck, though first responder communications estimated about 20.
A handful of students could be seen huddled near the bus, next to the first responders who tended to them. Some had blankets wrapped around their shoulders and appeared to be hugging one another.
When asked how many students were on the bus and if any were injured, Delaware State Police spokesman Sr. Cpl. Jason Hatchell said he could not “confirm any of those details at this time.”
“This crash is in the early stages of its investigation. We will provide additional details once they are made available,” Hatchell said.
The wreck marks the third fatality on Delaware roads on Monday.
Just after 12:15 a.m., troopers were called to the Smyrna-area for reports of a fiery, single-car crash. A medical examiner is working to identify the person killed. No one else was injured.
Hours later, around 7:10 a.m., a Hebron, Maryland man was stopped for a school bus picking up children in the left lane of Route 13 near Seaford.
That’s when a 2012 Hyundai Sonata, driven by a 19-year-old from Fruitland, Maryland, failed to stop for the bus and hit the rear of the Cavalier, police said.
Police said both cars were propelled off the road. The school bus was not hit and no children were injured.
The 69-year-old was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
This is a developing story. Return to delawareonline.com for updates.
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