Walker County school bus crash sends five students to hospital
LAFAYETTE, Ga. (WDEF) – Early this morning at 7:13 a.m., the Walker County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting that a school bus had struck a tree while on its way to school.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, thirty-seven students were on board at the time of the crash.
News 12 went to the scene to give viewers a closer look at where the accident occurred.
Investigators confirm the school bus was traveling southbound on Cook Road when the driver veered off the right shoulder while navigating a curve to the left.
The bus collided with a standing tree, leaving the front of the vehicle with extensive damage.
The entrance and exit doors on the front side of the bus were inoperable after the impact.
Tire tracks in the mud show where the bus left the roadway before coming to a stop at the tree.
Out of the 10 students who reported injuries, five were taken to local hospitals.
The remaining students were released to their parents or transported by another bus provided at the scene.
The bus driver has been cited for failure to maintain lane of travel.
Authorities continue to investigate the crash.
News 12 will provide updates as more information becomes available.
Photo credit: News 12 viewer
