SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. — A school bus carrying 19 students overturned into a dry creek bed Monday afternoon in Sumner County, injuring several students and the driver, according to officials.
The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. in the 400 block of Rock House Hollow Road, near Bethpage Elementary School. However, all students on board were from Westmoreland Middle and High Schools, according to Sumner County Schools.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) reported that the driver of the bus, identified as Bus 612, lost control before the vehicle struck a bridge and continued over the edge, landing in the creek below. A preliminary crash report indicated that the cause of the crash remains under investigation, with the possibility of charges pending the outcome.
Emergency responders transported six students and the driver to nearby hospitals with injuries described as minor to moderate. Fourteen other students were released to their parents at the scene. The Sumner County Sheriff’s Office and THP are continuing to investigate the incident, including whether mechanical failure played a role in the crash.
In a statement, Sumner County Schools confirmed they are working closely with law enforcement to determine what led to the incident.
Among the students on board was Joshua Lening, a student at Westmoreland Middle School, who recounted the chaos moments after the crash.
“I didn’t know what to do. I was asleep. I hit my head really hard and once I opened my eyes, I had two phones in my hands and AirPods in and everything,” Lening told News 2. “Blood was flying everywhere. My backpack was hung … and I couldn’t get it out.”
Despite his injuries, Lening remained at the scene to assist classmates in the aftermath of the accident.
Lieutenant Bill Miller of the THP said investigators were assessing the condition of the bus and examining whether any mechanical issues could have contributed to the crash.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the driver, and no charges have been filed as of Monday evening.
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