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05-11-2026, 05:18 PM
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Dodge Ram Slams Hard into the Back of a School Bus
The incident was captured by a home surveillance camera at the Rutkowski residence along Route 20 in Madison County. Video shows 17-year-old Jeremiah Rutkowski stepping out of his house to board the Madison Central School bus just seconds before a 2007 Dodge Ram hits the bus from behind at full speed without braking. The truck rear-ended the bus while its warning lights were activated, sending debris flying and shoving the bus forward. Jeremiah's father, Matthew, rushed outside and immediately pulling his son into an emotional embrace before checking on the other passengers. All 23 students and the drivers involved suffered only minor injuries. State Police determined the 35-year-old truck driver, Joshua A. Smith Sr. of Eaton, was distracted by his cell phone and following too closely. While the footage was dramatic, Smith and the other passengers, incl. 2 children in his pickup truck and 23 students on the bus, suffered only minor injuries. In New York, passing or striking a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing can carry fines between $250 and $400 and up to 30 days in jail for a first offense, alongside five points on a driver's license. |