Driver didn't notice the light had changed, hits young man and girl headed for a shopping center.
A school bus driver who didn’t notice the signal changed to red collided with a private vehicle Wednesday afternoon, causing moderate injuries to a 6-year old child.
The bus, which is owned by the Saugus Union School District, but operated by contractors from Student Transportation of America, was being driven by 24-year old Amanda Cabrera of Castaic. None of the 23 children on board the bus were injured.
The accident happened at approximately 2:50 p.m.
Cabrera was eastbound on Copper Hill Drive just west of Avenida Rancho Tesoro, approaching the intersection. A 2005 Nissan Armada, driven by Tyler Turner, 18, of Los Angeles, was westbound and stopped at the red light, preparing to make a left turn into the supermarket parking lot.
According to the CHP report, as Turner began to make the turn, Cabrera failed to observe her traffic signal turn red and proceeded into the intersection, striking the right side of the Armada.
A 6-year old female passenger in the Armada suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Henry Mayo NewhallMemorial Hospital.
Saugus District Assistant Superintendent Bob Cutting said that the children on the bus were returning to Mountainview from a field trip to KidSpace in Pasadena.
“We immediately got another bus there for the children and ascertained none of them were injured,” he said.
According to the Vehicle Code, a person must be 18 to drive a school bus; Cutting said the district adds an additional restriction that contracted drivers must be at least 21 years of age.
No citations have been issued and no arrests have been made. The incident is under investigation.