4 Hurt in School Bus, Police Car Crash in Fairfax County

Middle school students were returning from a field trip when their school bus collided with a police cruiser

Two middle school students, a police officer and another adult were hurt when a school bus and police cruiser crashed Thursday afternoon in Fairfax County, Virginia, police said.

Students from Mark Twain Middle School in Alexandria were headed back from a field trip to Lake Accotink when their Fairfax County Public Schools bus crashed with an unmarked Fairfax County Police Department cruiser, police and school officials said.

The crash occurred at Backlick Road and Floyd Avenue in Springfield, Virginia.

The students, officer and a field trip chaperone were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and were later released, a police department representative said.

Police said the officer driving the police cruiser had the right of way when the school bus driver entered the intersection. The school bus continued to move forward, and the rear wheels of the bus crushed the cruiser's hood. 

No information was released immediately on any charges against the driver. Alcohol and excess speed were ruled out as contributing factors. The investigation is ongoing. 

The officer driving the cruiser had been responding to a call, but his lights and sirens were off and he was not driving fast, police said. 

Police initially said four students were hurt.

Brooke Evans contributed to this report.

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