Officials: No injuries in school bus crash in Melville

Fire officials said there were no reported injuries when a car collided with a school bus carrying elementary school kids Tuesday morning in Melville.

The Melville Fire Department said there were 18 children on the bus, which was headed to Signal Hill Elementary School in Dix Hills. Suffolk County police said there were “approximately 30” students aboard the bus.

The accident occurred at the intersection of New York Avenue and Rainer Street at 8:53 a.m.

Under the direction of Assistant Chief David Kaplan, Melville firefighters along with three Rescue Squad ambulances, an engine, a paramedic unit and fire police responded to the scene, officials said.

Fire officials said their record of the number of students on the bus was based on a head count and the recording of all passenger information.

They said the male bus driver declined medical attention at the scene. Two students who complained of pain were picked up by their parents, police said.

Students were transferred to another Half Hollow Hills School District bus for transport to school, fire officials said.

Police spokesman Justin Meyers said the accident, which appeared to cause minor damage to both the car and the bus, occurred when the driver of the Lexus “tried to go around the school bus” as it attempted to make a left turn from southbound New York Avenue onto Rainer Street.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”