Two Injured in Connecticut School Bus Crash

CANTON -- A school bus and pickup truck collided on Route 44 at Secret Lake Road in Canton Friday morning, sending two people to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, police said.

Initially police said two children aboard the bus were taken to an area hospital, but updated that information about 9:30 a.m. Two children suffered bumps and bruises, but were not taken to the hospital, Canton Police Chief Christopher Arciero said.

Both people taken to the hospital were in the pickup truck. They were the driver, a 35-year-old man, and a child in the pickup who was in a child safety seat. Both appeared to have suffered only minor injuries, Arciero said. The driver, who was conscious and talking, was taken by helicopter and the child by ambulance, Arciero said.

It took rescuers about 45 minutes to get the man out of the pickup truck.

Route 44 in both directions was closed as police handled the crash and the medical helicopter landed to pickup the driver. The helicopter lifted off about 8:40 a.m. The crash occurred shortly before 8 a.m.

An eastbound lane of Route 44 has reopened and a westbound lane was expected to open by 10 a.m., Arciero said.

The students on the bus continued on to school on board another bus. Superintendent Kevin Case said the 13 students on board the bus were fourth, fifth and sixth graders who attend Canton Intermediate School. They were checked at the crash scene by emergency medical crews, then checked again once they arrived at school. Some suffered bumps and bruises. A few were taken to the hospital by their parents, he said.

"Thank goodness our students and the driver were fine," Case said.

Initial indications are that the truck was eastbound on Route 44 and that the school bus was pulling from Secret Lake Road when the collision occurred. Canton police asked that any witnesses to the crash contact them at 860-693-0221.

The detours caused by the crash caused backups on other nearby commuting routes to Hartford, including Route 4 in Farmington.

Traffic on eastbound Route 4 was backed up from the five corners intersection in Unionville all the way back to River Road during the commute.

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