Santa Cruz County, CA — May 19, 2025, one person was injured in a bus accident at about 9:50 a.m. on State Route 17 near Scotts Valley.

Authorities said a Mini Cooper crashed into the back of a Blue Bird bus near Vine Hill Road before going off the road and hitting a tree.

The Mini driver, a 67-year-old San Jose woman, was hospitalized with serious injuries after the crash, according to authorities. Her name has not been made public yet.

Two children on the bus suffered minor injuries, but did not require hospitalization, the report states. The Cupertino Union School District bus was transporting 24 children and two adults at the time of the crash.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Santa Cruz County crash. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a car rear-ends a school bus on the highway, people naturally want to know how that could happen, especially in broad daylight on a major roadway like State Route 17. Was the Mini Cooper speeding or distracted? Was the bus stopped in traffic or moving slowly? And just as important: what was going on inside the bus? These are all questions that need answers, and so far, the public hasn't gotten many.

The report says the Mini Cooper hit the back of a school bus and then went off the road and hit a tree. That sequence raises an important question: Was the bus stopped at the time of impact, or was it moving? If it was stopped, was it due to traffic, mechanical failure or something else? If it was moving, how did a driver behind it not notice in time to slow down?

We’re also told that the Mini’s driver, a 67-year-old woman, was seriously injured and taken to the hospital. Authorities haven’t released any details about what caused her to strike the bus. Without dash cam footage or witness statements, we’re left guessing.

Then there’s the bus itself, a Blue Bird model operated by Cupertino Union School District. It had 24 children and two adults on board. Two kids were reportedly hurt but not seriously. Even so, the impact had to be substantial enough to raise concerns about bus safety and driver actions.

Right now, we don’t know whether the bus had any onboard video systems. Many school buses today are equipped with both exterior and interior cameras. If those were working, they could help determine how fast the Mini was going, what the bus driver was doing and whether the bus came to a sudden stop or was stopped for some time.

For the Mini, black box data (from its engine control module) could show braking, speed and steering inputs in the moments before the crash. Cell phone records could help confirm or rule out distraction. These are all standard pieces of evidence in any serious crash investigation, but they don’t just appear; you have to go looking for them.

Depending on how the facts shake out, responsibility for this crash could go in different directions. If the Mini driver was distracted or impaired, that points to driver fault. But if the bus was stopped in a travel lane without warning or due to a breakdown, that opens the door to a different set of questions: Was the bus properly maintained? Were hazard lights or cones used if it was stopped?

In my experience, you can't know who is accountable until you have a full picture. That means collecting black box data, reviewing any available dash cam or surveillance footage, examining both vehicles and interviewing all available witnesses, including the bus driver and the supervising adults on board.

Key Takeaways

• It’s unclear whether the school bus was moving or stopped when the Mini rear-ended it, which is critical to understanding who may be responsible.
• Dash cams, black box data and phone records from both vehicles could reveal key evidence about the cause of the crash.
• Responsibility could lie with either driver or with other parties, depending on factors like visibility, maintenance, and whether proper safety protocols were followed.
• Authorities have released limited information, meaning an independent investigation may be necessary to get to the full truth.
• School buses often carry video equipment, which could be crucial in clarifying what led to this crash, assuming it's preserved and reviewed.