Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
A bus transporting members of the University of Maine women’s basketball team crashed north of Boston Tuesday night. The bus crossed the median of Interstate 95 and four northbound lanes before plowing into the woods, severely injuring the driver and causing minor injuries to many passengers.
Emergency responders freed the unidentified driver from, and transported him or her by MedFlight helicopter to Boston Medical Center. The team’s coach suffered facial lacerations. The players were more fortunate, sustaining what seemed to be less severe injuries.
University of Maine assistant coach and former WNBA recruiter Jhasmine Player described how the accident unfolded. “We hit the strip, and that is how we knew something was going on,” Player said. “From there, all I saw was lights. The only screams we heard were from our coaches who told us to get down and stay down.” “Our head coaches were able to tell us to get down and brace ourselves,” Player said.
Authorities said they are still trying to determine the cause of the accident at around 8:30 p.m., but their early stages of the investigation point to the driver having some kind of a medical incident, said State Police spokesman David Procopio. The driver was conscious when investigators interviewed him at Boston Medical Center, said Major Arthur Sugrue of the State Police early Wednesday. He suffered several broken bones, but not any fatal injuries, Sugrue said. Authorities are unlikely to charge the driver with any crimes, but troopers will verify whether his medical records were current, Sugrue said.
Sugrue said investigators will examine any footage they recover from the bus’ black box. He added that there was no evidence the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Around the country, anxious parents checked in with their children by phone to make sure they were ok. In Worcester, Leo Nalivaike said her daughter called briefly to report she was uninjured but being taken to the hospital for examination. “She’s shaken up and nerved up, and of course being parents — of course we’re also shaken up,” said Nalivaika. “This could’ve been worse. We’re just hoping for the best for the bus driver and the rest of the squad.”
Massachusetts Bus Accident Attorneys
The Massachusetts bus accident attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP have been representing injury victims for over 40 years. If you or a loved one was hurt in an accident involving a mode of mass transportation such as a bus, train, or airplane, please contact us for a free case evaluation. You may be entitled to compensation.
Sources:
Bus carrying University of Maine athletes crashes in Georgetown, www.wcvb.com, February 27, 2013.
Coach bus goes off the highway in Georgetown, college students and driver are injured, boston.com, February 27, 2013.
