4 Hurt as School Bus, Police Car Crash

SPRINGFIELD, Va. — Two students and two adults were injured when a school bus and a police car collided here on Thursday.

The crash occurred around 12:44 p.m., as the Fairfax County Public Schools bus was transporting middle school students back to school after a field trip.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, an investigation found that the patrol officer, in a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria, was driving northbound on Backlick Road approaching Floyd Avenue. The school bus was on the eastbound side of Floyd Avenue, traveling westbound.

According to the investigation, the school bus driver stopped at the stop sign on Floyd Avenue, then proceeded to cross Backlick Road, in front of the police car. The officer reportedly couldn’t avoid a collision and struck the side of the school bus.

The school bus continued to move forward, and the rear wheels of the bus ran over the police car’s hood, investigators found. The bus came to rest in the roadway on the other side of Floyd Avenue.

There were about 40 students and five adults, including the driver, on the school bus. Two students, one adult chaperone, and the officer were taken to the hospital, treated for minor injuries, and later released.

Fairfax County Public Schools staff arranged for alternate transportation to take the rest of the passengers back to school.

Crash reconstruction detectives responded to the scene to investigate. At the time of the crash, the officer was responding to a report of shoplifting nearby, which was a non-priority call, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

“The vehicle’s emergency equipment was not activated, and it does not appear the officer was driving in an expedited manner,” a police press release said. “Detectives have ruled out speed and alcohol as contributing factors to the crash; charges pending the investigation’s conclusion.”