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Bus Driver Charged in School Bus Accident Save Email Print
Harrisonburg, Va.
Posted: 7:47 PM Mar 4, 2008
Last Updated: 2:22 PM Mar 5, 2008

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The Harrisonburg Police Department has charged a 70-year-old school bus driver with disregarding a traffic signal and causing a crash that injured dozens of people.

Police say Harold Long was driving a bus north on South Dogwood Drive when he caused the accident.

The accident involved two Harrisonburg School buses and a car at the intersection of South Dogwood Drive and West Market Street in the City of Harrisonburg.

"I didn't see it but I heard it. It was quite a loud boom and I thought something had blown up in the house and I came out. It was a little bit after seven," says Jon Stetson, who lives near the intersection.

Dr. Don Ford, the Superintendent of Harrisonburg City Schools, reports one school bus was headed to Thomas Harrison Middle School when the accident occurred.

Three middle school students, a bus driver and the driver of the passenger car were all taken to the hospital from the scene.

The rest of the students were then driven to school on other buses. When they arrived, at least 17 students at the middle school and nine at the high school notified school officials that they were also injured.

Those students were all taken to RMH for medical evaluations. All these injuries were minor.

Police investigated the scene, but they had to wait to see how many students from the accident were taken to the hospital after they left the scene.

"I expect that number to increase as the day progresses," says Sgt. R. L. Metcalf, Harrisonburg Police Department. "As parents are notified, many are taking their children to be checked out as a precaution. We are still investigating this accident."

Ford says parents of all the students on the buses have been notified.

Tuesday morning, Metcalf says that a bus and car driving westbound on Market Street struck another bus heading north on Dogwood Drive. The buses involved are numbers 23 and 32. Harrisonburg school buses are run by the city transit system.

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Posted by: Corey Location: Harrisonburg on May 26, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Age 70 is too old to be driving a school bus full of children.

Posted by: marina Location: harrissonburg on Mar 5, 2008 at 09:28 PM
every 1 plz pray 4 my little bother that was themost injured,yes i was on dat bus and yes i was hurt 2,but i am doing better.live ur life as if it as ur last,remember the good,and try 2 4get the bad!

Posted by: Lindsi Location: Harrisonburg on Mar 5, 2008 at 06:14 PM
it was very scary cause i had friends that rode them buses and i really think that there shouldnt be no 70 year old driver. I am glad that everyone is safe and I hope that this won't happen again.

Posted by: Ed Location: Waynesboro on Mar 5, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Seventy year's old! Come on now, are these bus drivers tested for their quick responses or anything. I think there should be a age limit as to how old a person should be when transporting school students to and from school.

Posted by: Mel Location: Harrisonburg on Mar 5, 2008 at 08:41 AM
The bus drivers drive to fast and I have witness the reckless manner they drive in. People these buses have our children on them. This could have turned out another way and we could be mourning a child or children right now. The drivers should really consider the precious cargo the are hauling.

Posted by: RBloom0566 Location: Weyers Cave on Mar 5, 2008 at 01:37 AM
Because many of the bus drivers employed by the school systems are seasoned citizens who are supplementing their retirement with bus driving as a part time job.

Posted by: jenniferjlex on Mar 4, 2008 at 11:25 PM
Your right it probably is not safe for a 70 year old to drive a bus, I am in my late twenties and would actually be terrified to drive a bus. But the point I am trying to make is the fact that it is sad that a 70 year old has to work just to barely get by in this system period and now has charges along with the guilt of injuring children.

Posted by: RuthDae Location: Harrisonburg on Mar 4, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Can someone tell me why a 70 year old is driving a school bus? People of that age, including myself in 8 years should not be allowed to drive any motorized vehicle with the possible exception of a golf cart.

Posted by: RBloom0566 Location: Weyers Cave on Mar 4, 2008 at 07:01 PM
Here's another one for the Bus Accident Scrap Book. Someone once tried to tell me on here that school busses were the safest way for children to travel. This time it was 20 . How many will it take next time?

Posted by: Dawn Location: Staunton Va on Mar 4, 2008 at 01:43 PM
Shootings in restuarants, locksowns at colleges, tow college killing sprees in less than 12 months in two states. Why some people are against more gun control laws baffle me. I am tired of the slogan, people kill, not guns! Wake up people!

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