WALNUT, Mississippi—A school bus driver is dead and eight children have injuries after a school bus rolled over in northern Mississippi.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol tells news outlets that the bus driver died in the Tuesday morning incident, with the bus ending up on its side in a ditch.
A video obtained by The Associated Press shows the yellow bus in a ditch on the side of the highway, resting on its right side.
Officials tell WMC-TV that the 63-year-old driver, Chester Cole, likely suffered a medical emergency. Benton County Coroner Larry Hobson said Cole appeared to his clutch his chest and slumped over in his seat before the crash.
REPORTS from Benton County School Superintendent: The school bus driver, Chester Cole died. 3 children were airlifted to Le Bonheur Children’s hospital in Memphis.
— Candace S. Coleman (@candacescoleman) September 10, 2019
Eight injured children were taken to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
The hospital said four are in serious condition and four others have been released on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
According to WREG, two of the children were rushed to Methodist Olive Branch while the other five were taken to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital via ambulance and helicopter.
Troopers say no other vehicles were involved in the wreck on U.S. Highway 72 west of Walnut.
The two westbound lanes of the highway were closed as officials investigated the crash. Traffic was diverted to one of the eastbound lanes, turning the highway temporarily into a two-lane road.
Two Other Crashes
Another accident took place in Memphis on Tuesday morning involving a school bus and a track.
That crash took place at Jackson Avenue and Merton Street, reported WREG.
One child was rushed to Le Bonheur.
Another crash took place on Walnut Grove at Goodlett, reported Local 24.
Epoch Times reporter Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
