School bus, en route to high school, struck from behind by motorist

SALISBURY — A group of Housatonic Valley Regional High School students got more excitement than they bargained for on the first day of school. At about 7:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31, their bus was within sight of the school, waiting at the temporary traffic light on Route 7 near the intersection of Route 112, just south of the bridge that is being replaced, when the bus was hit from behind.

There were no injuries. However, the driver of the heavily damaged 1994 Honda Accord, William Dowling, 19, of Glastonbury, and his passenger, Robert Paris, 17, of Rye, N.Y., were taken by Falls Village Ambulance to Sharon Hospital for evaluation.

The students on the bus missed the opening day assembly at the school, which was taking place as police and emergency workers were at the accident site. The students in the assembly were advised of the situation and told that alcohol had been found in the Honda.

The car is registered to James Dowling of Glastonbury.

The 2009 bus, owned by All-Star Transportation, sustained rear bumper damage. The driver was Sheryl Marshall, 38, of Brookfield. Also on board was a 4-year-old girl in her care.

A portion of Route 7 was closed while state police and area EMTs spoke with all 23 students on the bus, gathering personal information and making sure there were no injuries.

The students ranged from age 13 to 17. Two are from Cornwall. The remainder live in Kent.

“We followed the policies and procedures,� Housatonic Principal Gretchen Foster said in an e-mail. “They are on page four of our emergency response plan. We have outstanding faculty members who helped with this process. Students who were on the bus missed part of the opening assemblies but were ready to follow the class schedules.�

The accident remains under investigation.

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