11-year-old Isabelle Tezsla died after the school bus she was on was hit by a dump truck on Thursday morning in Burlington County, New Jersey. Her sisters, 11-year-old Sophie Tezsla and 11-year-old Natalie Tezsla, were injured and flown to Cooper Hospital in critical condition.
Natalie's condition has been upgraded to stable. However her sister Sophie, and another child, 11-year-old Jonathan Zdybel, remain in critical condition.
The three girls are triplets and the daughters of New Jersey State Police Trooper Anthony Tezsla.
The dump truck driver has been identified as Michael Caporale, 38, from New Egypt, New Jersey. The school bus driver is identified as John Tieman, 66, from Beverly, New Jersey.
The crash happened around 8:05 a.m. at the intersection of Bordentown Chesterfield Road (Route 528) and Old York Road in Chesterfield Township.
A bus carrying Chesterfield Elementary School students was travelling along Old York Road when a dump truck coming down Route 528 collided with the driver side rear of the bus. The collision spun the bus around, slamming the passenger side rear of the vehicle into a traffic light pole.
Chesterfield police Chief Kyle Wilson said the details are still being sorted out, but that the bus had a stop sign while the dump truck had a flashing yellow light. He said it was not clear whether the bus was attempting to cross the intersection or turn when the collision happened.
There have been no charges filed at this time as the investigation continues.
25 children were on the bus at the time of the crash, and 17 of them were injured.
A house near the corner of the accident scene was set up as a triage center. The less seriously injured children, and the children who were not injured at all, were taken inside of the house. Some of those children were hospitalized as a precaution.
Both drivers were also hospitalized. Their injuries do not appear to be serious.
"The bus was going a little slow and I didn't know what was going on. But then I felt the bus moving and then it slipped," said Laim Scheehan, a student who was aboard the bus.
A community in mourning
The school was already going to be closed Friday for the President's Day holiday weekend, but this morning from 9 to 12, grief counselors were available for those who needed them.
Members of the community came to the Chesterfield Baptist Church where many grief-stricken families and friends turned to their faith Thursday night.
There was a steady stream of families walking into the Chesterfield Baptist Church throughout the evening; many of the children classmates of the injured students.
"I think it's good to pay your respects for someone you've known personally for at least five years," said Nick Moschitti.
Cameras did not go inside of the church, but the people inside sat in silent meditation, offering prayers and reflections for those who were injured.
A few teenagers were camp counselors for the Tezsla triplets.
"Everyone knows everyone around here so once someone knows, everyone knows, and they were so sweet. They were just like the sweetest girls ever," said Alexis Napoleon.
John Moschitti's daughter, who has the same name of the 11-year old victim, Isabelle, was also on the bus when it crashed.
"She was sitting on the front of that bus and nothing really happened to her, and she's just a little shaken up and shocked by the things she saw and what really happened to her," said Moschitti.
Moschitti and his son thought it was important to come to the church to show support.
"I'm not really worried about who's at fault right now," Moschitti said. "I think we can worry about that at a later time. We ought to just worry about taking care of the grieving families and the kids that were hurt."
The emotions of the day could be seen in Johnny Gigliotti's eyes. He is friends with Jonathan Zdybel, the other boy who was critically injured.
"It's just crazy what's going on. I just hope he gets better. I don't know what to do," said Gigliotti.
Johnny was on a bus behind the one that collided with the dump truck. His family came to the church, because they were thankful.
"It gave us an opportunity to look back and realize that every morning, that every day is important," said Tara Gigliotti.
The heart-wrenching news traveled quickly across the community of about 7,600 people. At Chesterfield Elementary, which runs from Pre-K to 6th grade, parents arrived to pick up their children, even though they were not involved in the crash.
"I'm still shocked. I feel so sorry for the families and the community and the children and how they're feeling," said parent Sally Canaday.
Kate Dimemmo explained she had gotten the news while at work and her first impulse was to be as close to her young son as possible.
"I just want to pick up my son and hug him and be with him," Dimemmo said.
A sad, somber day for this school of about 480 students and 38 teachers. Parents say it is a tight knit community of young families bound together in part by school programs and athletics.
John Kelly says he knew some of the victim's including the little 11-year-old who died in the accident.
"They were in our house a while ago. It's a very close-knit community, everyone knows each other around here," Kelly said.
