In a message to parents, a Pajaro Valley Unified School District official wrote that students were “shaken” by a head-on crash involving their school bus Tuesday morning in Watsonville and are being offered counseling.
The California Highway Patrol reported that a gray Kia Forte crashed into the bus at 7:28 a.m. on Green Valley Road north of Casserly Road. The bus was carrying 43 students from Aptos High School and Aptos Junior High.
The 28-year-old Freedom man driving the Kia was taken to Natividad Medical Center with minor injuries, police said, and one child on the bus also had minor injuries and was taken to Watsonville Hospital.
“For reasons under investigation, the Kia began to travel northbound in the southbound lane of Green Valley Road, and a head-on crash occurred between the Kia and the school bus,” CHP said in a release, adding: “It is not believed that alcohol and/or drugs are factors in this crash.”
PVUSD Chief Business Officer Jenny Im emailed parents on Tuesday, saying: “Immediate evacuation of all students took place, with first responders arriving promptly. Our bus driver and transportation department staff acted swiftly in response.”
“The incident has understandably shaken all students involved. Our District is committed to supporting affected students and families during this time,” Im wrote. ‘Counseling services are available at each of the school sites. We encourage all impacted students to reach out to their site for additional support. Please know that the safety and well-being of our students remain our utmost priority. We appreciate your empathy during this time and we ask that you partner with us in respecting the privacy of those impacted.”
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