Jun 1, 2018 2 min read

A Hickory man was reportedly under the influence of cocaine when he crashed into a Fort Cherry School District bus last month and knocked the bus partially off the road.

Jordan Samuel Crowley, 27, of 7 Dire Drive, was charged Thursday by Mt. Pleasant Township with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia, accidents involving damage to unattended property, careless and reckless driving, failure to stay in his lane and driving on the wrong side of the road.

Township police were called about 2:30 p.m. May 9 to Fort Cherry and Cherry Valley roads for a report of a crash between a sport utility vehicle and a school bus that was off the road into a field. There were no students on the bus.

When Officer Maria Cuccaro arrived, she saw the SUV was partially over the hill. Crowley, who was out of the vehicle, told her he dozed off. He was taken to Canonsburg Hospital for treatment.

The front end of the bus was over the hill with the back end on the shoulder of the road. The 69-year-old Bulger woman who was driving the bus was also taken to the hospital to be checked.

Witnesses told police Crowley crossed the center lane and the bus driver tried unsuccessfully to avoid the collision.

Chief Louis McQuillan learned Crowley may be under the influence of drugs. The chief was told Crowley was fired the previous day from his job after wrecking a truck at work, according to the affidavit.

Cuccaro went to the hospital and Crowley consented to a blood test. Crowley reportedly told Cuccaro he had not used drugs that day, but smoked marijuana and used cocaine over the weekend. The results were positive for cocaine.

When police searched Crowley’s vehicle, they found an unmarked bottle containing six yellow pills later determined to be a muscle relaxant. Also found was a pipe with suspected marijuana residue.

A preliminary hearing will be scheduled before District Judge Traci McDonald.