A car collided with a bus full of children this morning sending seven children to the hospital.
According to Delaware State Police, there were 42 Nellie Stoke Elementary School students on board the Blue Bird bus around 8:10 a.m. when a Red PT Cruiser struck the left side of the bus at Walnut Shade Road and Millchop Lane in Magnolia, Del. -- about 60 miles south of Wilmington.
Sharon Hunter of Harrington, Del. had her 2- and 7-year-old granddaughters in the backseat in the car when the bus, driven by James Bennett, 72, pulled out in front of her to make a left turn, according to police.
Police say Hunter slammed on her brakes but it was too late and her 2001 Chrysler slammed into the left side of the bus near the rear axle. The bus continued for about another 50 feet, dragging the PT Cruiser along.
Five kids -- ranging in age from 6 to 11 years old -- suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were rushed to the hospital, according to police.
Hunter’s granddaughters were hospitalized as a precautionary measure. The 60-year-old driver needed to be pulled from her vehicle and was sent to Kent General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to investigators.
Another bus came to pick up the kids not hurt in the crash and transport them to their Caesar Rodney School District school just south of Camden, Del.
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Walnut Shade Road remained closed for about two hours as police investigated the crash. After wrapping up the investigation, police charged Bennett -- a driver with Hilton Bus Service -- with failure to remain stopped at a stop sign.
