Police say a woman, driving while intoxicated, slammed into a school bus filled with children and a minivan in Auburn.
Local resident Pam Rousseau says saw the white SUV that police say slammed into the back of bus number 11.
“I could see that she had just hit the bus,” Rousseau said.
Auburn police say 27-year-old Jessica Vennell was driving the SUV.
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Witnesses allegedly told police Vennell had been trying to pass the school bus, when she hit it as the bus driver slowed to make a left-hand turn.
Rousseau says she then watched Vennell back into a Livermore Falls school minivan.
“The first thing she said was ‘My head hurts. I’m going to die,’” Rousseau said. “And she had a great big knot on her head, and so we tried to just comfort her.”
The superintendent says there were about 20 Fairview Elementary students still on the bus when the accident happened.
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She says none of the students was hurt.
She then showed a photo of the back of the school bus; with only minor damage to the rear bumper.
“All the students said that they were fine,” Auburn Superintendent Katy Grondin said. “We were proud of one of our fifth graders stepping up and caring for one of our first graders who was a little scared.”
The superintendent says they quickly sent a message to parents, to let them know what happened and that their children were OK.
Police issued a summons for Jessica Vennell on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated. She could not be reached for comment.