Suffolk News-Herald

Eight elementary school-aged special education students were treated and released from Obici Hospital’s emergency room after a school bus accident in northern Suffolk on Tuesday morning.

Shortly after 8 a.m., a school bus carrying students to Florence Bowser and Driver elementary schools rear-ended a Saab that stopped for a red light at the intersection of Bridge Road and Harbour View Boulevard, said Officer Michael E. Simpkins, spokesman for the Suffolk Police Department.

Neither the children nor bus driver, Audrey Hunnicutt, 69, were hurt, said Simpkins.

All the children were wearing seat belts because they were riding on a special education bus, said Bethanne Bradshaw, spokesperson for the Suffolk Public Schools.

The Saab’s driver, Lucy Newton, of the 5200 block of Sandstone Court, was taken to Maryview Medical Center. Hospital officials refused to say whether she was admitted.

The accident happened when Hunnicutt, a 40-year veteran bus driver with Suffolk, was driving the bus north on Bridge Road. Apparently, Hunnicutt was glancing over at a vehicle traveling on the left side of the bus when the traffic light changed to red.

Hunnicutt wasn’t able to stop in time to avoid hitting the Saab in front of her, Simpkins said, adding that She was charged with failure to obey a signal.