Bridgewater, NJ - On Thursday, February 20, 2020 at 1459 hours, the Bridgewater Police Department responded to the intersection of Washington Valley Road and Blossom Drive to investigate a motor vehicle crash involving two passenger vehicles and an unloaded school bus.
As a result of the investigation, it was determined that a 2015 Honda Accord, being operated by Adelaide Pereira of Basking Ridge, NJ, was traveling north on Blossom Drive and was attempting to turn right onto Washington Valley Road. Pereira struck a full size school bus as it traveled east on Washington Valley Road through the intersection with Blossom Drive. The bus is owned by First Student and was being operated by Douglas Ferriday of Bedminster, NJ. The impact between the school bus and the Honda redirected the bus into the westbound lane of Washington Valley Road, directly into the driver’s side of a 2012 Ford Flex, being operated by Harry Olaya of Hillsborough, NJ.
Pereria was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick and Ferriday was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, both with non-life threatening injuries. Olaya was transported to Morristown Memorial Hospital via NJSP Northstar Medivac helicopter with life threatening injuries.
The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office’s Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Team responded to assist with the investigation.
The Martinsville Fire Department and Far Hills – Bedminster Fire Department responded to extricate two of the drivers from their vehicles.
The Somerville and Green Knoll Rescue Squads, along with Robert Wood Johnson Rescue and Paramedic Units also responded.
The crash is still under investigation by the Bridgewater Township Police Department’s Traffic Safety Bureau.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bridgewater Police Traffic Safety Bureau at 908-722-4111 extension 4132, or the Bridgewater TIPS line at 877-660-INFO (4636).
*Edit: Somerville Rescue Squad responded to the scene and not the Martinsville Rescue Squad as previously posted.
