Newport News, VA : Speed a factor in fatal motorcycle, school bus crash near Harpersville Road and Woods Road on Wednesday, January 25, 2017

A motorcycle and school bus collided Wednesday near Harpersville Road and Woods Road, killing the motorcylist, Newport News Police spokesman Lou Thurston said.

The motorcyclist, Gary Lee Estes, 61, of Hampton, was pronounced dead at the scene, and no one on the bus was injured, Thurston said.There were 29 students and a driver on the bus, he said.

According to police reports, the crash occurred around 3:10 p.m. Preliminary investigation found the bus was turning left from Harpersville Road onto Woods Road and the motorcycle was traveling west.

The front half of the bus had cleared Harpersville Road, but the bus and the motorcycle collided, police said.

Investigators do not believe alcohol was a factor in the crash. However, it appears that speed on the motorcycle operators part was a contributing factor, police said.

The motorcycle operator was wearing the proper safety equipment.

The students were taken taken back to Hines Middle School to meet with parents and grief counseling, Newport News Police spokesman Brandon Maynard said.

Several crews were on scene, and the school bus was enclosed in police tape traffic and westbound traffic was blocked on Harpersville Road.

The department's crash team is investigating the incident, and no charges have been filed, Maynard said.

Angel Gonzales was in his house on Woods Avenue when he heard the crash. He's seen several crashes near the intersection, but never anything like this.

"Whatever it was, it was bad," he said.

Source :
Police: Speed a factor in fatal motorcycle, school bus crash