State Police investigate bus crash in Cortland County

On Nov. 21, 2016, at 9:09 a.m., the New York State Police in Homer investigated a commercial bus accident on Interstate 81 southbound near milepost marker 43 in the Town of Virgil, Cortland County, New York. 

According to police, the commercial bus was owned by Covered Wagon Tours LLC of Hornell, N.Y. and was traveling southbound with 40 9th grade students and five adult chaperones en route from Rochester, N.Y. (Pittsford Mendon High School) to New York City for a school field trip.

As the bus was traveling southbound on the interstate, which was covered with snow from recent and continuous lake effect snowfall, the driver, Joseph J. Rallo, age 55, of East Rochester, N.Y. attempted to avoid two other uninvolved vehicles that had lost control directly in front of his bus. 

As a result, according to police, the bus slid off east shoulder and overturned on its side in the median.  Ten students and the driver were transported to Cortland Regional Medical Center where they were treated for minor injuries and released. The remaining passengers were transported from the scene to the Village of Marathon Civic Center where arrangements were made with the Pittsford Mendon High School representatives and parents to transport all passengers back home.

The New York State Police was assisted at the scene by the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office, the Marathon Fire Department, New York State Department of Transportation and the members of the Marathon Civic Center.