NEW MILFORD – State police in Susquehanna County said a man could be facing DUI charges after he allegedly crashed into a school bus then ran from the scene on foot.
Troopers arrested 29-year old Lance Landes after that crash in New Milford Wednesday afternoon.
A school bus from the Blue Ridge School District ended up in a ditch, toppled to its side, after a car slammed into it along Route 11 in New Milford around 3 o’clock Wednesday afternoon.
State police say the bus was heading north when the car, driven by 29-year old Lance Landes in the southbound lane, swerved into it.
Luckily, there were no students on bus and the driver was only slightly injured.
Tracy Shidagis is a bus aide with the district.
She was on another bus at the time, but came to the crash to check on her co-worker, who state police identified at 62-year old Carl Smith.
“Mister carl was pretty shaken up, yeah,” said Shidagis. “He was on his way up to the high school to pick up the kids so thank the lord that there weren’t any kids on the bus because the bus tipped on its side, in the ditch.”
The bus was towed to a nearby auto lot; the car, showing heavy front end damage, was taken to a separate auto lot.
State police say Landes briefly stayed at the scene, but then fled on foot.
He was captured by passing motorists and two sheriff deputies in a wooded area nearby.
Investigators say Landes was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
Shedagis says there are constant problems with reckless drivers, drunk or not.
“We constantly have people that are driving past us, when we have our lights on, our signs are out, people are always driving past us, we were dropping off kids today and we had a lady go flying right past us,” said Shedagis.
Marilyn Torres is a parent in the Blue Ridge School District.
She has three children who ride the bus and she worries for their safety all the time.
“We live up the dirt road and actually the cars will go right around the bus, even when my kids are coming out. so we always just come down and make sure we’re standing there up on the top and make sure they get off the road as quick as possible,” said Torres.
State police say Landes was taken to the hospital for blood testing.
Charges could be filed pending the results.