2 Dead, Dozens Hurt When Pa-bound Bus Carrying 40 Students Crashes On I-84 In NY

Two people died and dozens of others were injured when a Pennsylvania-bound bus crashed off I-84 in New York, authorities said.

Gina Pellettiere, age 43 of Massapequa, the band director for Farmingdale High School, was one of two adults killed when a charter bus full of band students crashed on I-84 in Wawayanda, police announced.
Photo Credit: *Eastern Dutchess County Fire and Rescue/Facebook via Gina Pellettiere*

Farmingdale High School band director Gina Pellettiere, age 43, was among two people killed when a charter bus crashed on I-84 in Orange County Thursday, Sept. 21.
Photo Credit: *Facebook users Nassau Music Educators Association & Monica Bartoli*

by Mac Bullock & Kathy Reakes

09/21/2023 7:20 p.m.

The bus carrying 40 high school students and four adults was heading toward Greeley, PA for band camp, when it tumbled town a 50-foot ravine near Exit 15 in Wawayanda around 1:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, New York State Police and NY Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

The two fatalities have been identified as Long Island residents: 43-year-old Gina Pellettiere of Massapequa, and 77-year-old Beatrice Ferarri of Farmingdale. Pellettiere was Farmingdale High School's band director. Five or six students were in critical condition.

The bus was one of six carrying the Farmingdale High School band apparently on its way to band camp.

Motorists were asked to avoid the area Thursday afternoon and the highway was expected to be closed for several hours.

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