Toxicology results came back clean on both drivers involved in the fatal crash of a Chesterfield Township school bus in February.
A dump truck hit the back of the school bus and the bus slammed into a utility pole. Eleven-year-old Isabelle Tezsla died in the accident. Seventeen other students, including her two triplet sisters, were taken to area hospitals.
Investigators drew blood from the bus driver, John Tieman, 66, and the dump truck driver,, Michael Caporale, 38.
Burlington County Prosecutor Robert Bernardi and Chesterfield Twp. Police Chief Kyle Wilson announced on Friday that the blood analysis results for both drivers "were completely negative for alcohol and illegal drugs."
Tieman's results indicated use of therapeutic levels of prescription drugs. The statement released by Bernardi and Wilson said that "would not have impaired his ability to operate the bus at the date and time of the collision."
The crash happened on the morning drive to school on February 16 at the intersection of County Road 528 and Old York Road in Chesterfield Twp., New Jersey.
Both drivers were cited in March. The bus driver was cited for failing to stop or yield. The dump truck driver received summonses for failure to secure container, failure to tarp load, inadequate braking, exceeding gross weight, exceeding tire weight limit and over axle weight. These are not criminal charges.
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The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board as well as local and state law enforcement agencies.
