LAWRENCE — The driver of a small school bus has been cited for going through a stop sign and causing a collision with an automobile, which knocked the bus on its side yesterday afternoon.
One student and her mother were on the bus. The crash occurred about 4 p.m. at the intersection of Andover and Foster streets.
Police Chief John Romero said the bus driver, Peter Seltser, 63, of Salem, Mass., was cited for failing to stop at a stop sign.
Seltser was going north along Foster Street when the bus collided with a 1993 Toyota Camry driven by Awilda Morales, 28, of 18 Lenox Circle, who was traveling east on Andover Street.
Romero said Seltser told police he did not see the stop sign because it was blocked by a large, yellow school bus parked along Foster Street near the intersection.
Also on the bus was Ana Jimenez, 38, of 324 Market St., who was riding with her 8-year-old daughter Pamela.
Romero said Ana Jimenez and Morales were taken to Lawrence General Hospital for evaluation.
"We're pretty fortunate it wasn't a lot worse," said Romero. "They were all wearing their seat belts, fortunately."
With Lawrence firefighters already battling a house fire on Stevens Court, Lowell firefighters also were called to the accident.
The white bus, labeled a "Chair Car" and operated by Danvers-based MassTran Specialized Transportation, was on its passenger side. A portion of the front windshield was smashed.
Witnesses to the crash, Fabio Bisono, 23, and Jeyfry Henriquez, 19, both of Lawrence, ran to the bus from 228 Andover St. to help the three individuals inside.
"It's a school bus," said Bisono. "I thought it was a lot of kids."
The intersection is one block from South Union Street. There are two stop signs on Foster Street, but none along Andover Street.
Danny Rodriguez was in his house at 111 Foster St., when he heard a loud crash and went outside to see the bus on its side and the Camry in the middle of the road.
"This should be a four-way stop already," said Rodriguez, 31. "There's been plenty of accidents in the past. It's like they're waiting for someone to die."
