2016 Chattanooga school bus crash
| 2016 Chattanooga school bus crash | |
|---|---|
 Chattanooga's location (highlighted) in Hamilton County, Tennessee | |
| Details | |
| Date | November 21, 2016 |
| Location | Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| Statistics | |
| Bus | School bus |
| Passengers | 37 |
| Deaths | 6 |
| Injuries | 12 hospitalized |
Coordinates: 35°01′27″N 85°14′05″W / 35.02417°N 85.23472°W
In the afternoon of November 21, 2016, a school bus in Chattanooga, Tennessee, rolled over onto its passenger side and became wrapped around a tree. There were multiple fatalities and injuries. The incident took place in the city's Brainerd neighborhood on Talley Road, which officials described as a "narrow, winding road". The bus, operated by Durham School Services,[1] was transporting children from Woodmore Elementary School.[2][3]
The bus was transporting 37 children. Five of the children died at the scene of the crash. Twelve children were hospitalized, six of them in critical condition. A sixth child died the next day.[1][2][4][5]
The cause of the crash is under investigation, but officials believe that the speed of the bus might have been a contributing factor. On the day after the crash, a spokesman for the Chattanooga police department reported that drugs and alcohol were not factors. Johnthony Walker, the driver, has been arrested on charges of vehicular manslaughter, reckless endangerment and reckless driving.[2][4] According to CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann, the mother of three children on the bus, including one who died, stated that her surviving children told her that Walker asked if they were "ready to die" immediately before the crash. Chattanooga police disputed the accuracy of this claim.[5][6]
Reaction
President-elect Donald Trump offered his condolences to the families of the victims through a Twitter post.[7]
References
- 1 2 Sterling, Joe; Simon, Darran (November 21, 2016). "6 dead in Tennessee school bus crash". cnn.com. Cable News Network. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Hayden, Michael Edison; Gallagher, J.J.; Liddy, Tom; Cook, Jeffrey (November 22, 2016). "Kids Who Died in Chattanooga School Bus Crash Include 3 Fourth-Graders". abcnews.go.com. ABC News Internet Ventures. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- ↑ Nicholson, Ken. "Driver charged in deadly Talley Road school bus crash". wrcbtv.com. WRCB-TV. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- 1 2 (staff writer) (November 21, 2016). "Bus driver charged with vehicular manslaughter in Chattanooga bus crash". wbir.com. WBIR-TV. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- 1 2 Associated Press (November 23, 2016). "Drugs, alcohol not involved in bus crash; 6th child dies". krqe.com. LIN Television. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ↑ (staff writer) (November 22, 2016). "Driver Asked Kids 'Are You Ready to Die' Before Crashing Bus in Chattanooga". detroit.cbslocal.com. CBS Local Media. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
- ↑ Sanchez, Chris (November 22, 2016). "Trump offers condolences to the families of victims in fatal Tennessee bus crash". businessinsider.com. Business Insider. Retrieved November 24, 2016.