By Crash News Writer 
Henderson, NY (November 14, 2026) – A 31-year-old man was killed, and several others were injured Thursday afternoon, November 12, following a collision involving an SUV and a school bus on County Route 75 in the Town of Henderson. According to the New York State Police, the SUV was traveling at an unsafe speed before colliding with the bus, which was carrying 16 teenage students.
New York State Police responded to the accident at approximately 2:56 p.m. in Jefferson County. Investigators identified the deceased SUV driver as Alec A. Yepez, 31, of Rodman, New York.
According to preliminary findings, Yepez was driving a 2004 Cadillac SUV at an unsafe speed when it collided with a Belleville Henderson school bus traveling in the opposite lane of traffic. Authorities have not explained the exact sequence of events leading to the collision.
The impact caused extensive damage to the front of both vehicles. Video footage from the scene showed the Cadillac SUV heavily damaged by fire and smoke, while the school bus had been pushed off the roadway.
Yepez sustained fatal injuries in the collision. Authorities have not released additional details about the circumstances of his death or explained whether the SUV caught fire before or after the impact.
The school bus driver, a 59-year-old man from Belleville, sustained multiple serious injuries. Emergency personnel transported him to Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown before he was transferred to a hospital in Syracuse for additional treatment.
As of Friday, November 13, the bus driver remained in stable condition. Authorities have not released his name or provided further information about his injuries.
The school bus was carrying 16 students between the ages of 15 and 17. Five students sustained minor injuries, while the remaining 11 students were not reported injured.
Four injured students were transported to Samaritan Medical Center, and a fifth was taken by a parent to Carthage Area Hospital. All five had been released from the hospital by Friday morning.
The students who were not injured were transported to the Smithville Fire Department, where their parents or guardians picked them up.
A firefighter was also seriously injured during the emergency response. New York State Police identified him as John Rimiller, 61, of Adams, a member of the Smithville Fire Department.
Rimiller was transported to Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, where he remained in critical condition as of Friday morning. Investigators have not determined how he was injured while responding to the crash.
New York State Police continue investigating both the collision and the circumstances surrounding Rimiller’s injuries. Although investigators identified unsafe speed as a factor in the initial crash, additional findings have not been released.
Protect Your Rights After a Fatal School Bus Accident Today
School bus accidents can affect students, drivers, emergency responders, and families. When a collision involves a vehicle carrying children, determining what happened is especially important because several injured people may have different insurance and legal rights.
Under New York law, motorists must operate their vehicles at speeds that are reasonable and appropriate for road and traffic conditions. A driver may be traveling below the posted speed limit and still be driving too fast for existing conditions.
In the Henderson collision, state police identified unsafe speed as a contributing factor in their preliminary investigation. However, investigators have not released a complete explanation of how the vehicles collided or whether other circumstances contributed.
New York’s no-fault insurance system generally provides qualifying benefits for medical expenses, lost earnings, and certain other losses following motor vehicle accidents. Coverage depends on the circumstances, applicable policies, and the rules governing the injured person’s claim.
People searching for a car accident near me or a school bus accident near Henderson should understand that passengers injured in a collision may have legal options even when they were not responsible for the accident.
An official car accident report may contain information about vehicle movements, roadway conditions, witness statements, and the investigating troopers’ findings. In school bus collisions, additional evidence may include available onboard camera footage, vehicle inspection records, and transportation records.
New York generally requires injured individuals to meet the state’s serious injury threshold before pursuing compensation for pain and suffering in covered motor vehicle accidents. The threshold may be satisfied by certain fractures, significant limitations, or other qualifying injuries.
The state also follows a pure comparative negligence system, meaning compensation may be reduced according to an injured person’s share of responsibility. Passengers are not automatically responsible for the actions of the drivers transporting them.
Personal injury lawsuits arising from negligence generally must be filed within three years in New York, subject to exceptions. Wrongful death lawsuits generally have a two-year filing period, while claims involving public entities may require much earlier notices.
When an injured person is a minor, special rules may affect filing deadlines. However, families should not assume that every deadline is extended simply because a child was involved, particularly when a government entity may be a potential defendant.
Firefighters injured during emergency responses may also have employment-related benefits or other legal remedies depending on their status and the circumstances of their injuries. Determining the cause of a responder’s injury is necessary before assessing whether another party may bear legal responsibility.
In this accident, authorities have not explained how firefighter John Rimiller sustained his injuries. His condition and the circumstances surrounding the emergency response are separate matters under investigation.
Families affected by the collision may benefit from retaining medical records, accident reports, insurance communications, and documentation of accident-related expenses. These records can help clarify available benefits and whether additional legal claims may be appropriate.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
This article reflects information released by the New York State Police concerning the November 12 fatal school bus collision on County Route 75 in Henderson. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional findings may change the information currently available.
- Alec A. Yepez, 31, of Rodman, died following a collision involving his 2004 Cadillac SUV and a Belleville Henderson school bus on Thursday, November 12. Troopers responded at approximately 2:56 p.m.
- State police reported that Yepez was driving at an unsafe speed before colliding with the school bus, which was traveling in the opposite lane. Investigators have not released a complete account of the collision.
- The 59-year-old school bus driver sustained multiple serious injuries and was transferred from Samaritan Medical Center to a Syracuse hospital. He remained in stable condition as of Friday.
- Five of the 16 students aboard the bus sustained minor injuries. All five received hospital care and had been released by Friday morning.
- Smithville Fire Department firefighter John Rimiller, 61, of Adams, sustained serious injuries during the emergency response. He remained in critical condition at Samaritan Medical Center as of Friday morning.
- Investigators have not determined how Rimiller was injured at the scene. New York State Police continue reviewing the collision and the circumstances surrounding the firefighter’s injuries.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Information reflects publicly available reports at the time of publication and may change as investigators release additional findings. Readers should consult a qualified attorney regarding their individual circumstances. The publisher assumes no responsibility for decisions made based on this information. Please review our disclaimer for further details.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries or lost a family member in a school bus accident in Jefferson County or elsewhere in New York, consider speaking with a New York personal injury attorney to discuss your insurance benefits, legal rights, and whether a personal injury or wrongful death claim may be available.