Nine students hospitalized after driver hits North Carolina school bus, police say
Nine students were hospitalized with minor injuries after an SUV driver sideswiped their school bus Friday morning, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
The SUV and school bus drivers also were treated at a hospital for minor injuries, Master Trooper Jeffrey Swagger said.
The students were among 26 on the East Iredell Middle School bus when the SUV crossed the double yellow center line and hit the bus at Shumaker Drive at Houpe Road north of Statesville, the trooper said.
The 52-year-old SUV driver, Jonathan Davis of Statesville, was charged with driving left of center, according to Swagger.
An earlier news release by Iredell-Statesville Schools said “several individuals” were hospitalized, and “students are safe” as they waited at the wreck scene with Principal Kathy Walker for another bus to pick them up and take them to school.
“Again, EIMS students riding bus 255 are safe and being transported to school,” according to the school system news release issued at 9 a.m., an hour after the wreck.
Swagger said 36-year-old Latoya Stewart of Troutman was driving the bus.
The left front wheel of the SUV detached after hitting the bus, he said.
Troopers were still investigating what contributed to the SUV driver crossing the center line, Swagger said.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 9:54 AM.