Students suffer 'minor injuries' when Lakeland school bus hit by SUV in Yorktown: police

SHRUB OAK ‒ Multiple people were rushed to the hospital after an SUV hit a Lakeland school bus in the area of Old Yorktown Road on Friday morning.

The mini-bus was hit in the front by a Hummer, sustaining damage. The accident occurred at the entrance to the southbound Taconic State Parkway from Old Yorktown Road. As of noon, Old Yorktown Road was closed in both directions.

Five, high school-age students and the bus driver were taken to Westchester Medical Center with what Yorktown Police called “minor injuries.”

The accident is still under investigation, but a preliminary review showed that the driver of the SUV that struck the bus may have suffered a medical emergency, police said.

There was no information on the condition of the driver of the SUV, police said.

Witnesses saw the bus 'crushed in'

Carmella Pervizi was in her home on Old Yorktown Road when she heard a loud boom around 9:30 a.m.

“I caught the accident on my ring camera. It was a loud 'boom' and I ran out cursing, and saw the bus crushed in,” she said. Pervizi said the bus was carrying several teenagers with special needs.

The driver of the bus, a woman in her 60s, was reportedly trapped inside the vehicle, she said.

The driver of the SUV, a 40-year-old male, and his teenage daughter, were also sent to the hospital, according to Pervizi.

"They were all covered in blood and visibly shaken, but considering the situation, the kids handled it really well,” Pervizi said.

Pervizi's son Daniel lent a hand at the scene after his mother called him. Daniel said he approached the bus to talk to the driver.

"I started pulling on the door, trying to open it just so there was a little some way she could get out. There was a little smoke and oil." He said. "Two other people came and they started helping me get the door open. I was just talking her through it. She was scared. She started mentioning fire.

"I told her oh don’t worry, it’s not going to happen. You’ll be right out of here."

"It was sad seeing the kids because there was some blood on their face. The kids seemed OK." Daniel said. "It was just sad because a lot happened."

Yorktown Police said in a statement that they responded to the accident after getting several calls at 9:30 a.m.

Lakeland School District releases statement on crash

A Friday morning statement from Lakeland Superintendent Karen Gagliardi to the community said the accident involved five students and a bus driver. Parents of the students involved have been contacted, she said. District personnel, emergency responders and law enforcement responded immediately, she said.

“The students and the bus driver have been taken to a nearby medical facility for examination and treatment,” Gagliardi’s statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who were impacted by this accident.”

Accidents in the area have been happening frequently, Pervizi said. "This kind of accident I haven’t seen since 2014.”

“I got out in my robe and I saw that bus rolling backward and into the fence and I ran out and saw that there were teenagers. We got them out,” Pervizi said. "The lady was stuck in there. I called my son and some other guys that were on the scene and we tried to pull them out."

Further details were not available at time of press.

Photojournalist Frank Becerra Jr. contributed reporting for this story.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Lakeland school bus hit by SUV in Yorktown NY; minor injuries reported