13-year-old student killed after school bus 'overturned' on South Carolina highway
'Today's school bus accident in Chester County is a tragedy no family should ever have to endure,' South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said in a statement.
A 13-year-old boy died following an accident involving an occupied school bus on a South Carolina highway, according to the Chester County Coroner's Office.
Authorities said the bus, transporting children from the Lexington County School District Two, was traveling along Interstate 77 on April 17 when it overturned. Local news reported that Pine Ridge Middle School students were on board returning from a field trip.
Sgt. Tyler Tidwell of the South Carolina Highway Patrol told Paste BN that the incident happened around 1:45 p.m. The bus, reportedly carrying 38 people, was headed south when it "traveled off the road to the right, struck a guardrail, and overturned."
One person, whom Chester County Coroner Terry Tinker identified to Paste BN on April 18 as a 13-year-old Pine Ridge Middle School student, was determined to be deceased, Tidwell said. He added that the remaining occupants were taken to hospitals for treatment and observation.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is overseeing the incident.
'Tragedy no family should ever have to endure'
According to reports, two other buses containing students from the same school were also returning from the trip. An eighth-grade student described the scene to WIS-TV.
"I looked up and saw the bus had flipped over, (kids) were screaming, teachers were trying to get off the bus, trying to help students that were on the bus that flipped over, “Wesley Willis recounted, per the TV station.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster acknowledged the collision in a statement on the night of April 17.
"Today's school bus accident in Chester County is a tragedy no family should ever have to endure," McMaster said. "Please join us in praying for the victim, their family, a speedy recovery for those injured, and the entire Lexington Two community. All of South Carolina is with you."
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for Paste BN. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.
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