Officials with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the driver of a DPS school bus will be cited after the bus overturned with 20 children on board.
According to State Troopers, the bus was traveling around a curve and ran off the road. Troopers said the driver overcorrected, and the weight of the bus caused it to overturn and hit a tree before resting in the middle of the road.
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Ten of the students were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
“We are relieved to learn that our scholars are being treated for minor injuries," said DPS Superintendent Anthony Lewis. "The accident is under investigation and our students are being released to their families.”
On Monday, Sky 5 flew over the scene of a Durham Public Schools bus on its side on Johnson Mill Road. Several emergency responders were seen around the bus, with multiple people walking around.
Durham Public Schools officials said the bus was coming from Mangum Elementary School.
Parents told WRAL News their hearts dropped when they got the notification about the crash from the school.
Although they are happy that none of the students were seriously hurt, they are still shaken.
“It wasn’t as bad as it looked, so that kind of reassured me. But not really at the same time I was really just freaking out honestly,” Brianna Brogen said.
Her daughter and several other students are just as shaken up by the ordeal.
“I don’t want to go on a school bus again,” said Sophia, Brogen’s daughter.
“I don’t blame you, baby. I wouldn’t either,” Brogen continued.
Parents were reunited with their children at Roxboro and Patrick roads after another school bus picked up the students. Officials said children who were taken to the hospital were taken to Duke Regional, Duke Hospital and UNC Hospital.
Some parents said it will be some time before they feel comfortable sending their kids on a school bus.
“I’m going to wait a couple of weeks before I let her get back on it so she can heal from the traumatic process of what just happened,” Samantha Grinstead said.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. State troopers said the driver of a DPS school bus will be cited for failing to maintain lane control. Their name has not yet been released.