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SCHOOL BUS STRIKES CAR OF TEENS, INJURING FOUR
By Keith Hagarty
 | | --Photo By Keith Hagarty Four students from Brick Memorial High School were injured last week at the intersection Burnt Tavern and Lanes Mill roads when their car was struck by an empty school bus. |
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Four Brick teens were injured last week at the intersection of Burnt Tavern and Lanes Mill roads, when an empty school bus struck a car after the 17-year-old operator of the vehicle drove through a red light. The car was occupied by four students of Brick Memorial High School.
The accident occurred the day before Thanksgiving at approximately 11:52 a.m., according to police reports. Just moments earlier, the students had left the school following a shortened day, traveling southbound on Lanes Mill Road.
The driver of the 2000 Honda Civic, Brian Koehler, had passed through a red light at the intersection when his vehicle was struck on the passenger side by the bus traveling eastbound on Burnt Tavern Road.
All four students were immediately treated at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. Koehler, who only just recently received his provisional driver's license, was treated for a shoulder injury and later released, however his 15-year-old brother, Brett, was not wearing his safety belt as he rode in the rear passenger seat and sustained a head injury. While initially listed in critical condition, Brett Koehler's status has since been upgraded to "fair," according to a hospital spokesperson.
The other two students injured and since released from the hospital were 15-year-old front passenger, Sara Stephenson, who suffered a serious neck injury, and 14-year-old rear passenger, Alex Zytko, who suffered a hip injury.
The bus driver, 45-year-old Mark Lobianco, of Brick, was not injured in the accident, according to Police Sgt. Donald Ling.
Emergency units from the Herbertsville and Laurelton Fire Companies quickly responded to the scene, cutting the top of the car off to remove the teenage victims.
Sipping a cup of coffee outside the adjacent 7-11, Dominic Carerra, 27, of Brick, said it's not the first time he's heard about an accident happening at the busy intersection.
"The (Garden State) Parkway exits are right here on top of you and the school is like right over there, so you always see something scary going on everyday. I've seen a lot of near misses here," he said days after the accident. "I can't tell you how many times I see high school kids zooming up in here (at the convenience store), getting what they need and bolting out to and from school."
The police have not yet issued any details of how fast either vehicle was driving prior to the accident.
"It scares me. It really does," said Brenda Kozlowski, 48, of Wall. "I remember when my daughter was driving to school a couple years ago, and I'll be honest, I was never comfortable when she was gone. It all can happen so fast."
While she knows there's not much that can be done to stop parents from worrying, Kozlowski said news of the accident still lingers.
"Especially at this time of the year, with the holidays," said Kozlowski. "It's like just when you're feeling comfortable and happy, you hear about something like this and suddenly, as a parent, you're worried sick. My heart goes out to those kids' families. It sounds like it could've been even worse."
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