CARROLL COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — A deadly school bus crash occurred on March 30, 2023, on Highway 70 near Cedar Grove, claiming the lives of two students and injuring several others during a field trip.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), there were 29 individuals on board the Clarksville-Montgomery County school bus, including 24 students, four adults, and the driver, Sabrina R. Ducksworth. The incident involved the school bus, a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) dump truck, and a Chevrolet Trailblazer.
THP officials reported that the bus collided with the TDOT truck after veering into the oncoming lane. The collision caused the dump truck to catch fire and sent the bus off the road into a tree. The Chevrolet, traveling behind the dump truck, sustained front-end damage but its driver was unharmed.
Emergency responders dispatched nine medical helicopters to the scene, with seven patients transported to trauma centers in Memphis and Nashville. Others were taken by ground ambulance to local hospitals. Authorities confirmed that multiple individuals remain hospitalized.
THP's Critical Incident Response Team, in conjunction with the Pupil Transportation Division, is investigating the crash. Crews are reconstructing the incident using witness statements and evidence from the scene.
Support services are available for affected students, families, and staff as the community copes with the tragedy. The investigation is ongoing.