Wednesday, 28 June 2006 - 4:40pm |
National News

Police Interview School Bus Driver

1 min read

North Shore Police are continuing their investigations into an incident at Rangitoto College yesterday, in which a school bus ran over five female students, all of them teenagers.

Officer in Charge of the Police investigation, Sergeant Cecil Ross of the Strategic Traffic Unit, says the incident happened at about 11.30am on Tuesday 27 June 2006, when a bus loaded with College students accelerated as it was making a departure manoeuvre.

The bus rapidly mounted the footpath and seriously injured the five female students before coming to a rest a short distance away. Several ambulances took the injured teenage girls to Starship Hospital. Three of the girls have now been discharged. One of the students remains in a critical condition, while the other is described as stable.

"Police completed interviewing the 46 year old male driver this morning. He is extremely distraught, remorseful and apologetic to the five teenage students who have been seriously injured, to their families, and to the college," Sergeant Ross said.

"We have issued the driver with a Traffic Offence Notice which is a regular practise in traffic related matters. While the driver has not yet been formally charged with any offences, charges are likely to be laid. The nature of any charges has not yet determined."

"This investigation is in the early phases, and there is still much to be done. Police have yet to speak to each of the five students, their families and to the many others who witnessed this unusual incident," he said.

"The extent and nature of the teenager's injuries and their recovery has also yet to be fully determined. Police hope to complete their enquiries into this incident in about a week. The results of these inquiries will then determine the next course of action that Police will take in this matter."

"Victim Support have again been visiting and attending at the hospital today," Sergeant Ross said.