WALTHAM: A university shuttle bus crashed in Waltham late Saturday night, killing Brandeis University student Vanessa Mark and hurting more than two dozen others.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell said in a joint statement on Sunday that the bus was coming back to campus from a hockey game at Northeastern University when it hit a tree on South Street around 10:30 p.m.
Later, the school said the bus was part of a regular shuttle loop to Cambridge and Boston and wasn’t returning to Northeastern.
No one knows what caused the crash yet. “Right now, it’s all being looked into,” said Waltham Fire Chief Andrew Mullin to WBZ-TV.
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Jordyn Jagolinzer of WBZ heard from a witness that the bus hit more than one tree and that he then heard screams. The accident destroyed the bus.
The moment this morning when a tow truck carried away the bus contracted by Brandeis University involved in a crash late last night… 27 people were transported to the hospital. We’ve learned one person has died. The bus, completely destroyed as you can see. @wbz pic.twitter.com/lLY7G117Xq
— Jordyn Jagolinzer WBZ (@jorjagolinzer) November 20, 2022
“On the spot, one student was said to be dead. The other 26 students and the bus driver were hurt to varying degrees and were all taken to local hospitals. “In their statement, Ryan and O’Connell said. “There have been no charges.”
Vanessa Mark, a first-year student at the university, was later named as the person who had died.
Ron Liebowitz, the president of Brandeis, said that Mark was “on leave” but that she lived in Waltham and was “an active and valued member of the Brandeis community.”
Brandies students and faculty gather on campus to console one another after a horrific bus accident. Strong showing of the Brandies community #wbz pic.twitter.com/F61l0wMSDI
— Paul Burton (@PaulWBZ) November 20, 2022
In a letter to campus on Sunday, Liebowitz said, “We have been in touch with Vanessa’s family and will continue to do so in the coming days. We will keep you updated on how we will honor Vanessa’s memory.”
“Given the number of injured people and the different hospitals to which they were taken, it is taking time to figure out the status of everyone involved, including which passengers are Brandeis students,” university spokesperson Julie Jette told WBZ in an email. She later told him that only five people were left in the hospital.
“I know everyone in our community is sad today because of the shuttle accident that killed someone last night. We are all shocked by such a terrible accident, and it will take time for everyone to get better “Liebowitz said.
“We all have many unanswered questions right now, making it even harder to deal with such sad news. As the accident is being looked into by Waltham Police, we have been working with them and will continue to do so. The safety of our students is the most important thing, and we will find out everything we can about what happened. As we learn more, leaders at the university will continue to share what they learn.”
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Jette said that the university has told students, faculty, and staff about the crash and is “helping and counseling” students.
“Due to our community’s tragedy, Brandeis has canceled Monday and Tuesday classes (Nov. 21 and 22). Some students will be able to go home to see their families and friends sooner than they would have been able to during a regular holiday. For students who stay on campus, there will be more chances to get together and get help “Jette said.
“I often take the shuttle from Boston to Cambridge, which is scary. I often take it to see my brother in Boston, or he comes here to see me. It’s very, very scary to think that one of us could have been on that bus “Draken Garfinkel, a senior at Brandeis University, told WBZ on Sunday.
Waltham Police want anyone who saw the crash or knows anything about it to call them at (781) 314-3600.
If students need help, they can call the counseling center at Brandeis at 781-736-3730.On Sunday night at 7, there will be a vigil at the chapel on campus.
Stay tuned for more updates on NogMagazine.com
Jessa Martin is the author of Nogmagazine, A professional in writing by day, and novelist by night, she received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University and her master of arts in media studies from the New School. A Brooklyn native, she is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves, most likely multitasking.