Two southern New Jersey men face drug charges after their pickup truck and a school bus collided head-on this week, leaving them and several children injured.
Gloucester City police tell the Courier-Post that the pickup driver, 22-year-old Matthew Costanza of Mantua, admitted using heroin shortly before Friday night's crash.
Authorities say the truck veered into the bus that was carrying about two dozen students ranging in age from 6 to 9. The youths, who were coming from an after-school program, were taken to area hospitals for evaluation and treatment of minor injuries.
Costanza and his 22-year-old passenger, Kristopher Leslie of West Deptford, were hospitalized with serious injuries. Both were charged with possessing heroin and hypodermic needles, while Costanza also was charged with driving under the influence of a narcotic.
