CARROLL COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — Federal investigators are looking into a multi-vehicle and school bus crash that occurred on March 27, resulting in two fatalities and numerous injuries.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the incident happened at approximately 11:35 a.m. on U.S. Highway 70, between Cedar Grove and Huntingdon. A bus from the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, carrying 24 students and four adult chaperones, collided with a dump truck and a sport utility vehicle while traveling westbound.
The NTSB reported that the school bus crossed the centerline, sideswiped the dump truck operated by the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and then struck the SUV before coming to rest down an embankment. Two middle school students onboard the bus were killed, and the driver and several passengers sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious. The two individuals in the dump truck were also seriously injured, while the occupants of the SUV were unhurt.
Authorities noted that weather conditions were clear and the roadway was dry at the time of the accident. U.S. Highway 70 is a two-lane road with a posted speed limit of 55 mph.
Records indicate the bus driver, Sabrina Ducksworth, had some documented medical issues but maintained a valid commercial vehicle certification. She had no prior disciplinary history and received positive performance evaluations from 2022 to 2026. Preliminary evaluations hinted at potential medical concerns, though no connection to the crash has been established.
The NTSB is continuing to investigate all factors relevant to the crash, including driver performance and safety oversight, in collaboration with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.