Police release 911 calls from Parkton bus crash

Baltimore County Police released the 911 calls placed after a school bus carrying 43 students crashed in Parkton Wednesday.

Police posted recordings of the phone calls on the department’s Facebook page Friday.

Two callers can be heard describing the scene that took place on York Road just after 2:30 p.m. when a school bus ran off the road, hit a utility pole and flipped over onto its side.

During one call, a woman says she was a bus driver driving behind the overturned bus.

RELATED: Multiple injuries reported in school bus crash near Hereford High School

“We left Hereford High School going northbound on Route 45 and when we went to the corner, I don’t know, the driver seemed like he lost control and the bus is upset in the middle of the road here,” she told an operator, saying some of the students were evacuating at the time.

Another witness placed a call from Woodhall Wine Cellars on York Road reporting that the school bus had just hit a telephone poll and was overturned on the side of the road.

“It came around a deep curve, hit a telephone poll, it flipped over onto its side. I hear a lot of yelling and screaming,” the man said.

The callers described the seriousness of the accident but didn't know the extent of the injuries.

"Somebody's laying in the street right now. It looks bad." he said.

Operators can be heard telling the callers that help will be there soon.

"We hear emergency vehicles now," he added.

Police said the bus was carrying at least 43 students from Hereford Middle and Hereford High School. Nine students were transported to area hospitals with minor injuries. The driver, 65-year-old Bonnie Faye Pessaro of Freeland, was transported to Sinai Trauma Center where she’s currently being treated. According to school officials, Pessaro has been driving for Baltimore County Public Schools for nearly 28 years.

RELATED: Police identify driver in Balt. Co. school bus crash that injured 9 students

The crash is still under investigation, which could take several weeks, according to police. Baltimore County Police Corporal John Wachter said once the preliminary investigator is done with their investigation, the crash report goes to a second reconstructionist then a supervisor for final approval. Investigators will be reconstructing the scene, calculating distances, and exploring every possible factor that could've contributed to the crash.

"Anything that might've affected the driver such as any health issues or anything that might affected the vehicle like mechanical issues," said Wachter.

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