JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — A dozen students remained hospitalized Friday after a school bus ran off the road and rolled at least three times in northern East Tennessee.
The incident Thursday afternoon came as the bus carried 63 David Crockett High School students home after classes.
Washington County Director of Schools Ronald Dykes said on Friday that the 12 students still in the hospital were all in stable condition and said doctors expect all of them to make full recoveries.
"Miraculous, as a matter of fact," said Dykes of the injury outcome.
He also said the driver remained in a hospital.
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security on Friday identified her as Brenda K. Gray of Jonesborough, who is in her mid-50s.
Dykes said Gray has driven for the county schools for six years and worked as a school bus driver in Texas before that.
The superintendent said the accident occurred as the bus crested a hill. State troopers told Dykes the bus crossed the center of the road and the left wheels dropped off the pavement. Investigators said the driver overcorrected and the right wheels then dropped off the road.
"That swung the rear of the bus around," Dykes said. "It rolled at least three times down a 30-degree grade.
"The bus held up extremely well," Dykes said. "Otherwise, I'm sure we would have had fatalities at the scene."
The driver will be on administrative leave, pending the investigation into the incident, Dykes said.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
↧
Driver of school bus that crashed identified, remains hospitalized
↧