POWNAL, Vt. — A Pownal woman was was killed Tuesday morning following a collision with a school bus on Route 7.

 

Dana Zazinski, 60, was northbound in a 2018 Toyota Rav 4 north when it collided in the southbound lane with a 2025 Ford E-350 school bus operated by Kimberly Galok, 61, of Eagle Bridge, N.Y.

 

Zazinski was pronounced dead at the scene. Galok was transported to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center by the Pownal Rescue Squad to be treated for minor injuries.

 

Police said the school bus did not have any students onboard at the time of the crash.

 

The crash occurred just after 7 a.m., according to State Police, near a state Agency of Transportation turnoff. The speed limit on this portion of U.S. Route 7 is 50 mph and there was light rain at the time. 

 

Cpl. Travis Hess said witnesses statements and evidence on the road services showed that Zazinski had veered into the southbound line for unkown reasons. The Toyota came to rest on the shoulder adjacent to the northbound travel lane. The school bus was stopped in the southbound lane.

 

U.S. Route 7 was shut down for nearly six hours during the investigation. 

 

Troopers were assisted on scene by the state Department of Motor Vehicles' Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Bennington County Sheriff's Department, Pownal Fire Department, Pownal Valley Fire Department and Pownal Rescue Squad.

 

The crash is currently under investigation. Anyone with information pertaining to the crash is asked to contact Hess at the Shaftsbury barracks at 802-442-5421.