A routine morning ride to preschool took a frightening turn in Virginia when a school bus carrying four young children veered off the road and overturned, leaving six people injured and the driver facing criminal charges.
The crash happened around 9:22 a.m. Friday, October 30, along Centerville Road in James City County, near Williamsburg. The bus was transporting children ages 3 and 4 to the Bright Beginnings preschool program at Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School when it suddenly left the roadway and rolled onto its side.
Photographs released after the accident showed the yellow school bus lying on its side near a roadside ditch, with its wheels facing toward the road.
Fortunately, several people nearby rushed to help. Bystanders assisted all four children out of the overturned bus before emergency responders arrived.
The preschoolers suffered minor injuries and were examined at the scene by medical personnel from the James City County Fire Department. None required hospitalization, and all four were safely reunited with their families.
The two adults aboard the bus weren’t as fortunate. The male driver and a female bus aide were transported to a nearby hospital with injuries authorities described as apparently minor.
As investigators examined what caused the frightening accident, police identified the driver as 37-year-old Mark Callazzo of James City County.
Callazzo was charged with reckless driving and failure to maintain control of a vehicle. He was issued a summons to appear in court and subsequently released.
The crash prompted authorities to shut down a stretch of Centerville Road between the 4400 and 4700 blocks for several hours while investigators documented the scene and crews responded to the overturned vehicle.
Although police have not publicly explained exactly what caused the bus to leave the roadway, the James City County Police Crash Team continues investigating.
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