CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (Local News Wire) – Two middle school students were killed in a collision involving a school bus, a dump truck, and another vehicle on Friday in Carroll County.
Authorities confirmed the bus was transporting students to a field trip in Jackson when the crash occurred. The incident involved one school bus, one dump truck, and one SUV.
Emergency responders reported two fatalities: 17-year-old Zoe Davis and 16-year-old Arianna Pearson. Additional injuries were also confirmed, but details remain unspecified.
According to the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS), the full-size school bus had no seatbelts, as is standard for such vehicles. Smaller buses in the district are equipped with seatbelts to comply with federal regulations.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the circumstances of the crash.
Witnesses reported that dash camera footage appears to show the bus crossing the center line before colliding head-on with the dump truck, then striking the following SUV and entering a ditch.
THP has stated that an official cause of the crash is still under investigation, and they have not released further details regarding the inquiry.
CMCSS is cooperating fully with both THP and NTSB to ensure the integrity of the investigations. The school district expressed its condolences to the families affected.