Four Communications High School (CHS) students and their school bus driver were injured in a rollover crash Thursday morning on Interstate 195, according to law enforcement officials.
The bus was traveling eastbound en route to CHS when it collided with a GMC passenger van near Exit 35B just before 7:30 a.m. and overturned, the New Jersey State Police public information office told several media outlets.
Several students sustained minor injuries, “with one more seriously injured student requiring significant medical care,” according to a statement from CHS Principal Emily Bonilla.
Authorities said everyone involved in the crash was taken to area hospitals for treatment except the GMC driver, who reported no injuries. The Inkblot is withholding the names of the injured students.
The crash remains under investigation.
Photos from the scene showed extensive damage to the overturned school bus resting on the highway shoulder.
CHS junior Julissa Adams of Holmdel was supposed to be on the bus but ended up sleeping in.
“I have this feeling in my chest, and I think it’s gonna stay there for a while. I could have been in that crash,” said Adams, who is friends with one of the students who was on the bus. “I could’ve gotten seriously injured. It’s scary.”
The families of the injured students were met at the hospital by Monmouth County Vocational School District Superintendent Charles Ford, Jr. The vocational district oversees CHS, which is one of the county’s six career academies.
In an email addressed to the student body, Bonilla provided a brief summary of events following the crash:
“Emergency services responded quickly, and students received medical attention. Several students sustained minor injuries, with one more seriously injured student requiring significant medical care. All families of students on the bus have been contacted, and we are offering them our full support.”
She added: “We want to reassure you that student safety remains our top priority. We are working closely with authorities and the transportation company to review the incident and ensure all safety measures are in place.”
One teacher briefed on the crash said first responders reported that students helped each other immediately following the accident.
Adams shared a message for the injured students:
“Everyone’s thinking about you, and we’re sending you the best wishes.”
