Ellsworth, ME — January 15, 2026, Michael Sarran was injured in a bus accident at about 5 p.m. on Bangor Road/U.S. Route 1A.

Authorities said a school bus was heading north when it tried to make a U-turn near Cove Way, leading to a collision with another vehicle.

The driver of the other vehicle, 26-year-old Southwest Harbor resident Michael Sarran, was seriously injured in the crash, according to authorities.

Four students on the bus were not injured, while the bus driver was treated at the scene, authorities said.

The bus driver has been charged with driving to endanger and changing course of travel when unsafe, according to authorities.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Hancock County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a school bus driver caused a crash, the first thought is often about the safety of the children on board. That’s understandable, but from a legal standpoint, there’s another equally urgent question: What went wrong with the decision to turn a full-sized school bus around in live traffic, and how was that even allowed to happen?

Based on the information available, a school bus in Ellsworth attempted a U-turn on a highway and ended up colliding with another vehicle, seriously injuring the driver. The bus driver has already been charged with driving to endanger and making an unsafe lane change. That tells us authorities believe this wasn't just an accident; it was a preventable act of poor judgment.

But criminal charges are just the start. They don’t answer deeper questions about why a maneuver like that was attempted in the first place. Was the bus lost or off-route? Was the driver using GPS? Had they received route training, or were they unfamiliar with that stretch of highway? Was there pressure from dispatch or scheduling that led to risky decision-making?

These aren’t abstract concerns. I’ve handled cases where commercial drivers made unsafe turns because they were behind schedule or received poor directions from dispatch. And in one case, a company failed to train a driver on what to do if they missed a turn, so the driver tried to make it up by reversing on a highway. It ended just about how you'd expect.

Then there’s the question of the school district or bus company’s role. Was this driver experienced? Were they properly vetted and trained? Did the company have policies in place to discourage unsafe maneuvers, or were those policies just ignored?

And of course, if this was a contracted transportation provider, not the school district itself, then the spotlight turns to whether the district exercised appropriate oversight over the contractor.

It’s also worth noting that even though no students were hurt, the presence of children on the bus adds another layer of concern. Their safety should demand the highest standards, not just from drivers but from every part of the system that puts those drivers on the road.

The public deserves to know whether this was one person’s poor judgment, or part of a broader failure to ensure safe, well-supervised school transportation. That answer won’t come from police reports alone. It takes a thorough independent investigation, including driver history, dash cam footage (if available) and internal company records.

Key Takeaways:

• A bus driver's attempted U-turn led to a serious injury, raising concerns about driver judgment and training.
• Criminal charges suggest authorities believe the crash was preventable, but that’s just one piece of the puzzle.
• An independent investigation should explore company policies, driver experience and whether systemic issues contributed.
• The involvement of a school bus adds urgency to questions about oversight and safety procedures.
• Getting the full picture requires more than surface-level reporting. It demands detailed evidence and accountability.