CALEB NICKERSON

SHAWVILLE Sept. 27, 2019

The stretch of Hwy. 148 in Shawville was awash with flashing lights . . .

on Friday afternoon, as multiple traffic accidents took place within hours of each other.

At around 2:50 p.m., a blue coupe travelling southbound on rue Clarendon blew through the stop sign at Hwy. 148 and crashed into some brush on the other side of the road.

Sûreté du Quebec spokesperson Sgt. Marc Tessier said that the accident was likely caused by a medical problem and the male driver had only very minor injuries.

At around 4:25 p.m., emergency crews were called to the intersection of Hwy. 148 and rue Centre, where a half-ton truck had rear-ended a school bus.

Tessier said that the bus was dropping off students at the time and had its lights flashing. The bus driver and the three students aboard the bus were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The male driver of the truck was not.

Tessier said that the investigation is ongoing, but he will be fined for not heeding lights on the bus, as well as other possible penalties depending on the investigator’s findings.

Shawville-Clarendon Fire Chief Lee Laframboise estimated that ten firefighters responded to each call with several trucks.