A collision between a school bus and a truck yesterday afternoon in Moore County resulted in injuries among high school students, as per district representatives. Moore County Public Schools disclosed that the incident involved a Union Pines High School bus carrying twenty students. According to reports from CBS 17, the bus was struck by an eastbound truck that veered across the center line while traveling along Lees Branch Drive and Vass-Carthage Road. In an effort to prevent the bus from overturning, the quick-thinking bus driver swerved, managing to keep the vehicle upright.
Details from ABC 11 indicate that the truck, hauling a trailer, lost control, ran off the road, and then overcorrected before striking the bus, subsequently flipping over. The resulting impact sent the school bus, laden with students, off the side of the road and into a ditch. While no major injuries were reported, four students were transported to Moore County Regional Hospital by ambulance, with further several others seeking medical attention through their parents. The bus driver also communicated intentions to be checked at an urgent care center, while the truck driver self-transported to the hospital after being evaluated by EMS on the scene. The Vass-Carthage Road was closed for approximately three hours as a result of the accident.
An investigation into the crash is currently underway by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and Moore County Schools Police. A video from the school bus provided to WRAL News showed the truck driver's attempt to regain control before the collision occurred. Officials have not yet released the identities of anyone involved in the crash, including the students and drivers. According to the same WRAL report, there were 22 people on the bus, including the driver at the time of the accident, and more students than initially reported may have received medical care after the crash, with some being taken to the hospital by their parents.
The district has extended its gratitude for community support following the crash, stating, "We appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers for those involved." As families and students recover from the shock of the near-catastrophe, the community awaits the findings of the ongoing investigation, seeking clarity on the circumstances that led to the traumatic event, as reported by CBS 17.
