The Bloomfield-bound bus was struck head-on by a westbound 2007 Chevy Impala while going east on Hawthorne Avenue near Clinton Place around 5:30 a.m., NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith said.
Paige N. Graham, of Newark, was behind the wheel of the Chevy, and crossed the double yellow line before hitting the bus, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, and Newark Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara said.
There were seven passengers on board at the time of the incident, Smith said.
The bus operator and three passengers were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Smith said.
Graham was pronounced dead at 6:04 a.m., authorities said.
The bus had originated in Irvington. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office are on scene leading the investigation with Newark assisting at the scene.
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