Woman dead in Highway 174 crash between car, school bus

A woman was killed after the car she was driving collided with a school bus on Highway 174 in Ottawa's east end Monday afternoon.

The crash happened between Trim Road and Quigley Hill Road at around 2:40 p.m.

According to Ottawa paramedics, the 74-year-old woman was the sole occupant of the car and was declared dead at the scene.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board said the 46 students and two staff members on the bus are from Lisgar Collegiate Institute and were returning from a field trip when the collision happened. Paramedics say none of the students suffered major injuries.

"We are assessing a few for minor injuries only," said Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesman J.P. Trottier.

"[It was] obviously a very serious impact. We'll leave it to Ottawa police to determine exactly what happened there."

Bus driver distraught after collision, police say

The school board said all the students and staff aboard the bus have returned to school and counselors will be on hand Tuesday morning in case they need any support.

Police said the driver of the school bus was transported to hospital with minor injuries to his hand.

"He was distraught," said Rick Giroux with the Ottawa Police Service. "We have an officer with the driver right now at the hospital and we are offering victim assistance to that driver."

Giroux said it's too early to say who was at fault or how the crash happened.

Highway 174 was closed in both directions between Trim Road and Cameron Street.

The collision is under investigation.