Troopers Identify Victim In Fatal School Bus Accident

The Delaware State Police have identified the man who died in a motor vehicle collision involving a school bus on January 23, 2023, in Laurel as Taylor Maurer, 21, of Millsboro, Delaware.

Police said the victim was mistakenly identified as a 21-year-old woman in the original news release. This has since been updated and corrected.

Original Story

The Delaware State Police are investigating a fatal crash that occurred yesterday afternoon in Laurel where a school bus collided with a passenger car.

Officials said on January 23, 2023, at approximately 3:46 p.m., a gray 2013 Honda Civic was traveling southbound on East Trap Pond Road approaching the intersection at Hardscrabble Road, where there is a posted stop sign. At the same time, a yellow 2009 Bluebird school bus was traveling eastbound on Hardscrabble Road approaching the same intersection. At this juncture, there is no stop sign for traffic on Hardscrabble Road. For unknown reasons, the driver of the Civic failed to stop at the posted stop sign, continued through the intersection, and proceeded directly into the path of the school bus according to police.

The school bus driver tried to swerve to avoid striking the Civic but was unable to do so. As a result, the front of the bus struck the passenger side of the Civic, causing the Civic to overturn and exit the roadway. The school bus also exited the roadway and overturned onto its left side.

The school bus driver, a 34-year-old woman from Bridgeville, Delaware, was wearing her seatbelt. She was taken to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and was later released. There were thirteen students from Sussex Montessori Charter School on the bus. Twelve students were taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and were later released. One student was airlifted and admitted to an area hospital for serious injuries.

The driver of the Honda Civic, a 21-year-old woman from Millsboro, Delaware, was not wearing her seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene officials said Tuesday. Identification of the victim is pending notification to her family and relatives.

No other vehicles were involved in this collision. The roadways were closed for approximately five hours while the scene was investigated and cleared.

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