School bus fails to stop; Sending three to hospital

Photo: Picasa

Late Friday afternoon a Carrabassett Valley Academy bus failed to stop in front of Gordie Howe's store in Hanover, crushing two passenger vehicles between it and a Telstar school bus delivering children to their homes. (Photos by Cherri Crockett) 

HANOVER- Traffic on Route 2 in Hanover was stopped for approximately three hours on Friday afternoon when a Carrabassett Valley Academy bus failed to stop for a Telstar School Bus delivering children to their homes.

According to Oxford County Sheriff Sgt. Tim Holland, just before 3 p.m., Warren Cochrane, the driver of the Carrabassett Valley bus was distracted, causing him to hit two passenger cars that were stopped behind the Telstar bus and pushing them into one another before hitting the stopped school bus, driven by Frances Yates of Andover.

The two cars; a white 2002 Mitsubishi, driven by Michael MacKnight of Andover, and a 2005 Jeep Cherokee, driven by Mark Daigle of New Hampshire, were totaled in the collision.

Parents of the children aboard the Telstar bus were notified to meet at the Hanover post office, where each child was examined by Med-Care Ambulance personnel and released after signing off on the child’s well being.

Mike and Rachel Duclos from Andover had recieved a call from their son, Alex, an eighth grader riding the Telstar bus, by cell phone letting them know what had happened. 

"He said he was okay," stated Rachel. "He told us all the kids on the bus seemed to be okay. I think it was more nerve wracking for us than it was for him." 

One occupant of the Jeep was transported by Med-Care to Rumford Hospital, as well as two children who were complaining of back pain.

State police worked with older students in a nearby home to help them decipher what had occurred.

Sgt. Holland stated that the total loss of all four vehicles involved is estimated at between $25- and $30,000. 

The accident is still under investigation.