NEW YORK — Two Westchester County school districts are mobilizing crisis teams — and asking for support — following an accident involving an unlicensed teen driver and a school bus that left three students fighting for their lives a day ago.
Nine people were injured in the crash mid-afternoon Wednesday on Lake Road in the city of New Castle, police said. That tally includes four Fox Lane High School students, all but one of whom were hospitalized in critical condition.
According to investigators, a 16-year-old from Bedford Hills who did not have his driver’s license was behind the wheel of a Honda Accord, with three passengers in tow, when he lost control around a curve. He swerved into the lanes of oncoming traffic and crashed into the school bus head-on, according to police.
He was among three seriously injured students hospitalized. No one on the school bus, which had five people on board, was seriously injured. The identities have not been officially revealed.
Family members of the three most injured students set up GoFundMe pages after the accident, with a woman identifying herself as Kaitlynn saying that one of the victims, a junior, is on a ventilator after suffering a brain hemorrhage and collapse the lungs. She also said that she had two broken legs and spent five hours in surgery on Wednesday.
Another woman who identified herself as the older sister of the Accord driver confirmed that he was the one who collided with the bus, saying he suffered a broken neck, spinal cord and broken leg, among other gruesome injuries.
A Dunkin’ Donuts lover who works at a local pizzeria, the teen driver is also on a ventilator, the sister said.
“This is devastating,” he wrote on his GoFundMe page, “but all we have left is faith that he will make it out alive. All we ask for is time and space.”
The third seriously injured student is 17 years old, and a woman who identified herself as her sister also called for help. She said the three boys have been friends since they were children and her family is having a hard time processing what happened.
“He is always the go-to friend for the rest of the kids to spend time at our house,” the sister wrote, saying she is now dealing with a brain hemorrhage, fractured femur, spinal injuries and ruptured spleen. “He is currently on a ventilator which is helping him. Now he is just a little boy fighting for his life. We ask everyone to keep in mind the other families and ours and to pray for our children and help our children to go out”. of this together.”
Hundreds of people had donated a combined total of more than $84,000 to the three boys’ pages as of Thursday afternoon.
The Fox Lane campus was expected to have limited access on Thursday. Meanwhile, local school district superintendents expressed support for their communities and said they would provide additional information as it becomes available.
“Our hearts go out to our entire community at this difficult time,” Dr. Rob Glass, superintendent of the Bedford Central School District, which includes Fox Lane High School, said Thursday. “Counselors and physicians are available to students and staff in any of our buildings who need support.”
The Yorktown Central School District, whose school bus was involved in the accident, said its thoughts were also with the victims. Authorities said five people — two high school students, a driver and two monitors — were on the bus.
“We look forward to a speedy recovery for our students, drivers and monitors,” the Yorktown statement said. “At this time, the District is unable to comment further as this remains an open law enforcement matter.”
It was unclear how and why the driver lost control of the sedan he was driving. Police did not say whether the driver had a learner’s permit, which would have allowed him to be on local roads as long as there was a passenger at least 21 years old in the car. There does not appear to be anyone of legal age in the vehicle, according to the statement from the school district.
Wednesday’s accident was the second accident involving an unlicensed driver in Westchester County in a matter of months. Five children died in that late March incident on Hutchinson River Parkway, the youngest just 8 years old. Only a 9-year-old boy survived that accident. A 16-year-old was also behind the wheel in that case.
A message about possible new enforcement measures and policies was left at the Westchester County district attorney’s office Thursday. Police say his office is also assisting in the New Castle investigation.
2023-04-27 20:53:20
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