A New Britain resident hurt when a school bus rear ended him in a distracted driving crash in Wethersfield is suing the First Student bus company.
Tom Lazuk was driving on Prospect Street in Wethersfield on April 2 when a bus heading to the Glastonbury-East Hartford Elementary Magnet School struck the back of his Jeep, according to police and his attorney.
Lazuk, the bus driver and seven children were taken to the hospital. The driver, who has not been publicly identified, was cited for distracted driving and traveling too fast in conditions.
"It is our belief that the driver of the bus was using a mobile phone at the time of the collision. We will investigate this issue and have asked First Student to preserve all video evidence inside the bus and all mobile phone records of the driver," Lazuk's attorney, Peter Bowman, said in a statement.
Police said at the time of the crash that no one was seriously hurt, but Bowman said his client suffered "facial lacerations, broken teeth and orthopedic injuries" that require continued treatment.
"He is currently under the treatment of several medical providers to determine the severity of the injuries," Bowman said in a statement.
First Student said the driver has been removed from service, which is standard procedure.
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"The safety and security of students is our top priority, so we're certainly thankful there appear to be no serious injuries," First Student said in a statement following the crash. "We are assisting police with their investigation and will conduct our own internal review."
A spokesperson for First Student said Tuesday the company does not comment on pending litigation.
