DENVILLE -- A nearly  empty school bus overturned on Route 80, causing major backups on Wednesday morning.

State Police spokesman Alejandro Goez said the bus flipped onto the driver's side along a sound wall, near eastbound Exit 38 for Route 46 in Denville just before 7 a..m.  Driver James Johnson, 32, of Vauxhall suffered a minor injury as did the only other person on board the bus, a 16-year-old girl. She was taken to Saint Claire's in Denville.

The passenger was initially reported to be an adult by State Police in a tweet.

The bus was registered to First Student in Lawnside, according to Goez, but he not know what district Johnson was driving for or what caused the bus to overturn.

A tow truck with an overturned school bus on Route 80 in Denville
A tow truck with an overturned school bus on Route 80 in Denville (Waze user)
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The incident created a long, multi-mile delay back to at least Route 15 in Rockaway, according to New Jersey Fast Traffic's Bob Williams.

"At least two lanes are blocked for cleanup and the investigation," said Williams, who suggested Route 46 as a good alternative route but said Route 10 is better.

Goez said the crash scene was cleared by 9 a.m.

 

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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