School Bus Crash In Mississippi Leaves Driver Dead, At Least Eight Children Injured

A school bus crash Tuesday in Mississippi has left the driver dead and at least eight children injured.

The crash occurred in Benton County before 8 a.m. when the driver suffered a medical emergency. The emergency caused the bus to skid off the road and crash into the embankment. Mississippi Highway Patrol was among the first responders to the scene, receiving calls about the crash shortly after it occurred.

The driver, Chester Cole, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Benton County Coroner Larry Hobson reported that Cole grabbed his chest several times before slumping over in the driver’s seat. He said it isn’t clear yet if Cole died before or after the crash but Hobson alleged that Cole likely suffered from cardiac arrest.

No other deaths have been reported, but multiple children were treated at nearby hospitals in Memphis and DeSoto County. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital reported treating eight children rushed there by air ambulance, two by ground ambulance, and two by personal vehicles.

The four children brought to Le Bonheur by air ambulance reportedly suffered the worst injuries, while the other four were considered minor injuries. None of the reported injuries were considered critical.

“I’m just going to give her great big old hug and tell her that I’m glad she’s alright,” father David Lloyd told Memphis NBC affiliate WMC Action News 5. Lloyd’s stepdaughter, 13-year-old Haley Williams, reportedly suffered a broken jaw, broken ankle, and broken leg.