By NANCY RUMP

DENNIS TOWNSHIP - State Police have confirmed an earlier report about an accident involving a school bus carrying members of Wildwood High School’s basketball team.

According to Trooper Robert Varnadore of the Woodbine barracks, the driver of the school bus, registered to Motor Coach Industries/Sheppard School Bus of New Jersey, has been issued a summons for careless driving.  Frederick Sydnor, 53, was found to be at fault for the accident, Varnadore said. Neither Sydnor, the driver of another vehicle involved nor any of the 23 students on the bus were injured, he said.

The accident occurred at 3:50 p.m. on Route 47 near milepost 20.3 in Dennis Township.

Police said Kevin Pettis, 28, was driving a 2000 Isuzu box truck northbound on the road and approached another school bus with its red flashing lights on, indicating it was dropping off students. Pettis slowed down and came to a complete stop behind that bus, Varnadore said.

Then, the bus carrying the basketball team, also traveling northbound on Route 47, approached the Pettis' stopped truck. However, said Varnadore, Sydnor, the driver of the bus, failed to see the truck in front of him and subsequently struck it in the rear.

Following the collision, both the truck and the bus parked on the shoulder of the roadway. There was moderate damage to the rear of the truck and minor damage to the front portion of the bus, police said.

Both Sydnor and Pettis refused medical treatment at the scene.

Belleplain Volunteer Rescue Squad also responded.

Gazette/Leader sports editor Brian Cunniff was able to confirm through a school official that the students on the bus, members of the freshman, junior varsity and varsity basketball teams, were headed for games at Gloucester High School.