Cause of School Bus Accident Remains Unknown
Six children riding the bus Tuesday morning were unharmed
Fairfax County Police do not know why a bus carrying elementary students to school on Tuesday morning veered off Old Dominion Drive in McLean into a roadside ditch.
The accident was reported at about 8:20 a.m. Tuesday, the first day back to school for Fairfax County Public School students.
On Tuesday morning, Fairfax County Schools spokesman John Torre confirmed that six students were riding the bus when it ran off Old Dominion Drive near Tolston Road, although no one was injured, including the driver.
Torre said he did not know the name of the driver. He was unable to confirm which local school the students were traveling to.
After the accident, all six students were unloaded off the bus and transported to school in other bus.
On Wednesday, police said no other vehicles were involved in the incident and it remains unclear what caused it.
A follow-up call to the school system on Wednesday was not returned.
Leslie Speidel
11:01 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
My 2 children were on this bus on the first day headed to Spring Hill Elementary School. About 10 seconds after the bus picked them up, the driver was looking down at his route sheet when he veered off the road. My daughters said the bus rocked back and forth as he tried to get it back onto the road and then it fell over at a 45 degree angle. A few of the drivers who were behind the bus and saw the accident pulled over, got into the bus via the emergency exit, and helped all six kids get out safely. Fortunately, none of the kids were injured in this accident! We are so grateful to these kind "strangers" who stepped in to help out when no one else was around. As parents, we are disappointed and dismayed that we have yet to receive a phone call from either the school or Fairfax County apologizing for the accident and asking if our children are ok.
Lauren Sausser
11:55 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Leslie, Thanks for sharing this information. This is more than I've gotten out of the school system or the police department! Lauren
Nancy Rau
6:44 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
This was our bus (we lived on Towlston Road for 2 years) and Mr. Moxley was the driver for those two years. He was an excellent driver and a very kind man who gave candy and gift cards to the children at the end of the year. I have no idea if he is still the driver of this route but I know he would have been devastated by the accident. I am very glad to learn that the students were all okay.
Fred's View
10:13 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Ms. Rau - it's hardly a good idea to be throwing his name around on a public message board when, as you state yourself, you have no idea if he was the driver. How irresponsible! FCPS changes bus drivers almost yearly. I do hope you will retract this ridiculous posting.
Nancy Rau
11:16 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Actually, I think it is you who has the ridiculous posting and certainly negative too. I do know that the driver I mentioned is still driving for Spring Hill ES and other area schools. But since my children do not attend Spring Hill any more, I don't know what route he is driving. If you have nothing positive to say, please refrain from commenting.
Fred's View
12:05 am on Friday, September 7, 2012
You give the impression that this man you mentioned was the one who drove off the road. Why post that? It's silly. That's not negative. It's making an observation that you shouldn't tarnish someone's reputation - even if you believe it is veiled in some type of compliment. Just silly and irresponsible!
S Fitz
4:14 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
Fred is right. Sorry Nancy. Just so you know, Mr. Moxley was NOT the driver that morning. My son was one of the 6.