Teacher sustains minor injuries in school bus crash

CHATHAM — No tickets were issued after a teacher was hit by a school bus Friday in the Chatham High School parking lot, police said.

A small school bus driven by William H. Weaver Jr., 50, of Hudson, struck math teacher Kerri Martin, 49, of Rhinebeck, as she was walking across the parking lot shortly before 7 a.m., according to a statement from New York State Police.

Martin, who complained of back pain, was taken to Columbia Memorial Hospital by Chatham Rescue Squad ambulance, state police spokesman Trooper Aaron Hicks said.

Weaver, who was slowing the bus to a stop in front of the school on Woodbridge Avenue, did not see Martin, police said.

Martin was not walking in a crosswalk when she was hit, Hicks said.

“She said she was walking really fast between the cars,” he said, adding the teacher was also wearing dark clothing and the weather was overcast due to a storm.

Michael Johnston, owner of the Michael Johnston bus company based in Philmont, said they followed proper state Department of Transportation protocol after the crash. The agency is investigating the accident.

No students were on the bus at the time of the incident, Hicks said.

The bus was at the school to pick up students for Board of Cooperative Educational Services, which regularly picks up students before the school day begins, Chatham School Superintendent Salvatore DeAngelo said. No other buses were at the school at the time.

“It happened well before any students were at the high school,” DeAngelo said. “It was the only bus that was here.”

To reach reporter Amanda Purcell, call 518-828-1616 ext. 2500, or send an email to apurcell@thedailymail.net, or tweet to @amandajpurcell.