School Bus in Sulligent crashes and leaves bus driver and students injured

SULLIGENT, Ala. (WCBI) – A scary accident in Sulligent, Alabama this week sent a bus off the road and children to the hospital.

Everyone will be ok. But the call shook law enforcement and school administrators.

Now the Superintendent of The Lamar County School Board of Education is looking into why this happened and how to keep their students and faculty safe.

It was just after school let out for the day when first responders received the call.

It was 3:15. The school bus and its passengers were in trouble.

Sulligent Police Chief Rick McDaniel says when he first got the call he had no idea what to expect.

“When I received the call it scared me to death and when I got there and I saw injured children I had a sickening feeling but you still have to do your job and you got to give them medical attention,” said Chief McDaniel.

Police officers and the medical team pulled up to the scene on the north bridge in town. Four kids and the bus driver were hurt.

Chief McDaniel says apparently the bus hit the side railing of the bridge, veered off the road, and was caught between two trees. The trees kept the bus from falling over.

Four of the 7 children were taken to the hospital. The bus driver was also taken for treatment.

McDaniel says he may respond to calls daily, but officers are never ready to find a child injured.

“When I saw the fear on the kid’s face it was a frightening feeling even for law enforcement, ” said Chief McDaniel.

Lamar County Board of Education Superintendent Vance Herron says when students or faculty are injured, they take it seriously.

“Those are things we don’t take lightly and we have plans for every scenario you can have and that’s why we continuously have plans to make sure if there’s any improvements to take place or any adjustments of that nature but it’s a never-ending process,” said Herron.

Chief McDaniel says communication and planning between the School District and law enforcement mean everyone has a role and makes working together easier in a crisis.

Superintendent Herron says he plans to look deeper into the accident and adjust rules for students’ safety if needed.