ANSON — One student sustained a minor injury in a school bus accident Tuesday afternoon on U.S. Route 201A.

The bus was northbound about 1:30 p.m. when a 2003 Jeep Liberty driven by Philip Chaplin, of Anson, pulled out of a driveway and failed to see the bus, according to Maine State Police Sgt. Aaron Hayden in a news release.

Chaplin hit the bus on the driver side front quarter panel, according to Hayden.

There were 17 students on board from both Carrabec High School in Anson and Valley High School in Bingham. There were no other injuries but the jeep was a total loss, said Hayden.

The students were returning from vocational classes at the Somerset Career & Technical Center, said Ken Coville, superintendent of Anson-based School Administrative District 74. Students from three school districts share transportation to the center, where skills such as welding, information technology, construction and mechanics are taught, said Coville. The two districts are Bingham-based SAD 13 and Madison-based SAD 59

On Tuesday the bus had just dropped students from the Madison school off and was heading to the Anson school when the accident happened, he said.

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“As soon as we learned of it our transportation director was sent to the scene. The state police were contacted and students were released from the scene once they had been checked for injuries,” said Coville.

He said that his district also sent another bus to take students home and finish out the school day.

The original bus, which belonged to the Bingham-based district, was driven by Robert Stevens at the time of the accident, according to Hayden.

Coville said the accident was not too disruptive to the school day, although it did cause anxiety.

At Carrabec High School he said students usually return from the center with about 25 minutes left in the school day to catch up on homework and check in with teachers. On Tuesday they returned about 10 minutes later than usual, he said.

“I am grateful that all our students are safe,” said Coville. “Everyone involved including the drivers, our staff and the students responded as best as could be.”

State police also responded to the scene but could not be reached for additional comment. Superintendent Virginia Rebar from the Bingham-based district was also unavailable Tuesday afternoon.

Rachel Ohm —  612-2368
rohm@mainetoday.com


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