SchoolBus logo in red and orange
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

New York School Bus Driver Dies Days After Crash

Denise Schmidt reportedly suffers a medical event, slumps over the wheel, and the bus accelerates and crashes into a tree. The coach and 22 students on board are not injured.

Nicole Schlosser
Nicole SchlosserFormer Executive Editor
Read Nicole's Posts
September 10, 2019
2 min to read


MONTGOMERY, N.Y. — A school bus driver who reportedly suffered a medical event and was involved in a crash while driving students home from a sporting event on Friday died two days later.

A notice posted to the Warwick Valley Central School District website on Friday stated that at about 7:15 p.m. on Friday, a bus driver who was transporting 22 students who are members of the girls varsity tennis team was involved in a crash, hitting a tree after entering an exit ramp. No students were injured and the driver was taken to the hospital, according to the district. Parents were notified and the Warwick High School principal joined students and waited with them until they had all been picked up by their parents.

The bus driver, identified as Denise Schmidt by the Daily Freeman, was bringing the students home from a 4 p.m. match, according to the Times Herald-Record.

Schmidt was about to merge the bus onto Interstate 84 when she slumped over the wheel and the bus accelerated onto the entrance ramp, the Daily Freeman reports. Police said that the bus traveled off the shoulder and into a ravine before hitting a tree, according to the news source. The right side of the bus was damaged, according to the Times Herald-Record.

Police also said, according to the Daily Freeman, that none of the students aboard, who ranged in age from 15 years old to 17 years old, or the coach, were injured. Two students were performing CPR on Schmidt when troopers arrived. First responders continued CPR and took her to the hospital, the news source reports.

Schmidt died on Sunday, the Daily Freeman reports.

More Safety

Kids need more from a driverless ride graphic comparing “Getting from A to B” vs “Student Transportation,” with a Waymo-style autonomous car image and School Bus Fleet logo.
SafetyFebruary 11, 2026

Autonomous Vehicles Aren’t Built for Student Transportation [Op-Ed]

Driverless cars may feel the future, but student transportation requires more than navigation. Here’s why it demands human judgment, empathy, and oversight.

Read More →
Graphic showing the front of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and headline reading “Fatal School Bus Hit & Run in New York,” dated February 5, 2026, alongside the School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsFebruary 10, 2026

New York Girl Killed by School Bus Hit & Run

An 11-year-old in Brooklyn was killed crossing the street. Meanwhile, the school bus driver faces misdemeanor charges after he left the scene.

Read More →
2026 Disaster Response Guide Call for Experts is Open.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 9, 2026

Disaster Readiness Starts Before the Storm [Call for Experts]

The 2026 Disaster Response Guide is officially underway, and we’re now opening a Call for Insights and Experts.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
school bus driver with student
SponsoredFebruary 9, 2026

How Supplemental Transportation Helps Close Driver Gaps

Ongoing driver shortages nationwide are forcing tough transportation decisions. See how districts are using supplemental transportation to maintain coverage for high-needs students.

Read More →
Fatal School Bus Accident in New York graphic dated Jan. 29, 2026, showing a close-up of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 3, 2026

New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing

A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.

Read More →
A red, orange and yellow graphic with anti-pinch door sensor products and text reading "Maine's New Mandate: Anti-Pinch-Sensors & Bus Safety."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 29, 2026

Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate

As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
SponsoredJanuary 29, 2026

8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations

What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.

Read More →
an illustration of a survey on a mobile phone with a hand on it, and the words Survey Says on it
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 28, 2026

Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses

A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.

Read More →
Image of an extended stop-arm with text reading "School Bus Safety: Funding Provides Bus Upgrades Across Ohio."
Safetyby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio

$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A white Waymo vehicle waits at a crosswalk as a family crosses.
Safetyby StaffJanuary 26, 2026

Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation

After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.

Read More →