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STILLWATER — A 23-year-old Ballston Spa man is dead after his vehicle struck a Mechanicville City School District bus in an early-morning crash that involved three vehicles.
Four students were on the bus at the time heading to BOCES, according to the district. None of the students or the driver reported serious injuries, officials said. A woman who was driving in the third vehicle was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
Police said Jacob D. Granberg, 23, was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt eastbound on state Route 67 when he crossed over into the westbound lane, hitting the school bus head-on. Granberg was pronounced dead at the scene.
The bus, driven by 74-year-old Robert Norton of Mechanicville, then hit a 2013 Kia Optima operated by Tara L. Beagle, 45, of Rock City Falls, who was traveling east behind Granberg, officials said. Beagle was taken to Albany Medical Center for evaluation. Police said she has non-life-threatening injuries and is in stable condition.
Saratoga County sheriff’s deputies responded around 7:15 a.m. to state Route 67, just east of George Thompson Road, for the crash.
District Superintendent Kevin Kolakowski said the district has been in contact with the students’ families and the driver and “will continue to support them in any way they need.”
The district did not have any further details to provide.
“While we understand that there is significant interest in the details surrounding the incident, we will respect the privacy and confidentiality of those involved,” the district said in a press release on its website.
“The safety and well-being of our students is our utmost priority, and we want to assure parents, families, and the community that all appropriate measures were taken to ensure their safety during and after the incident. Our dedicated staff members promptly responded to the situation, and emergency services were immediately contacted.”
Washington, Saratoga, Warren, Hamilton and Essex BOCES Superintendent Turina Parker said they are in contact with the district about the incident.
“We are thankful that the driver and students are safe,” she said. “We are ensuring that upon returning to school, students will receive any support they may need. We are grateful to the emergency team that responded to the situation.”
The cause of the crash remained under investigation later Monday, said Sheriff Michael Zurlo.
The road, which had been closed following the accident so the sheriff’s department could do a reconstruction as part of its investigation, reopened around 2:40 p.m.
