(This story was updated to add new information.)
An early-morning crash involving a school bus shut down Riverside Drive near the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium after a pickup truck and hit the bus collided head-on, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The crash happened around 6:15 a.m. May 15 on State Route 257 in Delaware County’s Liberty Township, according to the highway patrol.
Troopers allege in a news release that Nicholas Handzel, 38, of Powell, was driving a 1985 Ford F-150 north on State Route 257 when he crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a southbound 2022 Bluebird school bus driven by Carolyn Abdelaal, 70, also of Powell.
Handzel suffered serious injuries in the crash, while Abdelaal sustained minor injuries, according to the news release. Authorities said there were no students on the bus at the time of the crash.
Riverside Drive was closed in both directions while troopers investigated and crews worked to remove the vehicles, Dispatch news partner NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. Vehicles were being removed shortly after 8 a.m.
Troopers also allege in the release that Handzel was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. They continue to investigate whether impairment and distraction were factors in the crash.
Reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Crash involving school bus shuts down Riverside Drive near zoo
Reporting by Amani Bayo, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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