A school bus filled with students nearly plowed into a Signal Mountain home early Wednesday morning, leaving one student with minor injuries. The incident, which occurred in a fog-laden atmosphere, drew a swift response from emergency services and led to citations against the bus driver, Margaret Miles, for not wearing a seatbelt and failing to exercise due care. WBIR reports that the student injured was assessed on the scene and later picked up by their parent.
According to Hamilton County Schools spokesperson Steve Doremus, during the chaos of the crash, students attempted to detain the bus themselves. Doremus detailed how the incident unfolded around 7 a.m. in the 4800 block of Rolling Meadows Lane. "The bus drove into a ditch while turning a corner," Doremus said, outlining how the driver, thrown from her seat, led to panic as students scrambled to hit the brakes, as NewsChannel 9 reported.
Fortunately, a trailer filled with mulch acted as an unwitting barricade, halting the bus's progression before it could make significant contact with a residential structure. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office clarified that the home sustained only minor damage. "The bus barely touched the house," deputies said on the record, as per Local 3 News. This statement contradicts earlier concerns regarding a potential collision with the home.
Adding to the narrative, a neighbor told Local 3 News that this wasn't the first time vehicles had found themselves in trouble at that ditch, a hazardous spot that seemingly set the stage for Wednesday's near-miss. The driver, Miles, who had begun her tenure as a contract operator in August 2022, per information from the Hamilton County School system, was not a direct employee of HCS and operated the bus for Cravens Transport. The school district ensured that no prior complaints had been filed against her, and they vowed to enact appropriate disciplinary measures following a thorough investigation of the incident. "We are proud of the students on board the bus for remaining calm and for taking action to call for assistance following the accident," shared Dr. Justin Robertson, Hamilton County Schools superintendent, as he commended the students' bravery in a harrowing situation.
In the aftermath, parents were informed via email about the crash, and an additional bus was sent to ensure the safe transport of the uninjured children to school. "Emergency services are on the scene, and every student is being evaluated," part of the school's communication to parents read, assuring that all necessary steps were being taken following the morning's events.
