School bus driver revived with Narcan after crashing with 12 students onboard, cops say – NJ.com

Authorities revived a school bus driver with the opioid overdose antidote Narcan after she crashed her bus – which was carrying a dozen special-needs students – into a tree Wednesday afternoon in Newark, an official said.

The bus driver was high on heroin while operating the bus, WABC-TV reported, citing an unnamed law enforcement source. Police charged the driver, Lisa Byrd, 57, of Newark, with a dozen counts of child endangerment, driving while impaired and having drug paraphernalia, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

“She appears to be under the influence of a narcotic,” Ambrose told reporters at a news conference.

Officers also recovered unspecified drug paraphernalia at the crash scene, Ambrose said. Byrd’s driver’s license was suspended from 1996 to 2006, the public safety director added. Police were investigating her current license status and if she held a commercial driver’s license.

“This is a pathetic situation,” Ambrose said.

Video obtained by WABC-TV showed the school bus jump a curb after slowly traveling across an intersection.

The bus was carrying children, who range in ages from 5 to 13 years old, from the 14th Avenue School when it crashed into a tree at 14th Avenue and Jones Street, according to Newark police. The driver was taken to University Hospital.

Byrd was working as a driver for F & A Transport in East Orange, according to police.

None of the children were hurt, police said in a statement.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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