Non-fatal Crash Hospitalizes Many
by Ben Hogwood

HYDE PARK - A 16 year old crashed his vehicle into a minivan full of
elderly people from Copley Woodlands, in Stowe, sending six people to
the hospital on Friday, April 16.
Deputy James Wells, of the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department, said
the teenager, whose name they would not release due to age, crashed
almost head-on into the van on Route 15, in Hyde Park, at approximately
1:30 p.m. Wells said the teenager lost control of the vehicle and went
into the opposite lane, though witnesses have said he was attempting to
overtake a school bus. Wells said he is still investigating why the
driver went into the other lane. One van passenger said, the Copley
driver was all the way over onto the shoulder in an attempt to avoid the
oncoming pickup truck.
The people from Copley Woodlands were out taking a spring drive at the
time of the accident. Wells said that everyone involved in the accident
was wearing a seatbelt, which prevented any serious injuries. "It
probably saved them," he said. The van was only three weeks old and was
equipped with front and side airbags.
Those taken to the hospital were treated mostly for injuries caused by
the seatbelts. Both vehicles were estimated to have been totalled.
The accident is still under investigation, Wells said. Charges may be
filed against the teenager upon completion of the investigation