A driver was critically injured Thursday morning following a crash involving a school bus in Columbiana County, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Troopers from the Lisbon Post said the crash occurred around 8:18 a.m. on state Route 7 near milepost 5 in St. Clair Township. The crash involved a Beaver Local school bus and a 2009 Ford Escape driven by 24-year-old Chase Hartley of East Liverpool.
Authorities said the Ford Escape was traveling southbound when it struck the rear of a school bus that had stopped behind another bus picking up students. Investigators determined Hartley failed to maintain an assured clear distance ahead.
No students or the bus driver were injured. Students were safely transported to Beaver Local School by another bus.
Hartley became trapped inside his vehicle and had to be freed using the Jaws of Life. He was initially flown by medical helicopter to Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown and has since been transferred to a hospital in the Pittsburgh area, where he remains in critical condition.
Officials said alcohol or drugs do not appear to be factors in the crash.
In a statement, Beaver Local Superintendent Eric Lowe said the district is grateful no one on the bus was hurt.
“We are thankful that the students on the bus as well as the bus driver were not injured in the accident today,” Lowe said. “Our thoughts are with the driver of the other vehicle. Many first responders, staff and local law enforcement were on the scene. We appreciate their work to assist our students at the accident scene.”
Multiple agencies responded to the crash, including the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office, St. Clair Township Police Department, St. Clair Township Fire Department, Calcutta Fire/EMS, West Point Fire/EMS, Glenmoor Fire/EMS, LifeTeam EMS, Calcutta Towing and Stat MedEvac.
The crash remains under investigation.
