Two Cars, One School Bus Collision in Jones county

JONES COUNTY, Miss. - This is a press release from the Jones County Volunteer Fire Department.

Today may be Halloween, but it was certainly no trick or treat for children riding on a school bus that was involved in a three vehicle accident early Monday morning. At around 7:20AM, units from Powers and Glade Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the scene of the accident near Walker's Dairy Bar on Highway 184; Sandersville and M&M Volunteer Emergency Medical Responders were in the area and also responded. When firefighters and Emergency Medical Responders arrived on scene, they found three vehicles: a blue Corolla with extensive damage to its front-end; a silver Nissan with minimal damage; and a school bus with minimal damage.

According to reports, there were twenty-seven elementary-aged children on the school bus plus the driver. Four of the twenty-seven children sustained what was believed to be minor injuries and were originally going to be transported to the hospital by EMServ ambulance. However, word quickly reached worried parents and those with injured children began arriving on scene. All four of the children were taken to the hospital by their parents. The teenage driver of the blue Corolla sustained what was believed to be minor injuries as well and was transported by EMServ ambulance to South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel for treatment. The occupants of the Nissan were uninjured. All five injured were initially assessed on scene by Powers Emergency Medical Responders.

A large section of Highway 184 was shutdown to through-traffic heading eastbound. Traffic heading westbound were allowed to pass through to the side of the accident. The highway remained shutdown for nearly an hour as rescue and cleanup operations took place.

Rescue personnel on scene included units from Powers, Glade, Sandersville and M&M Volunteer Fire Departments, EMServ Ambulance Service, Jones County Sheriff's Department, Northeast Jones Elementary School Principal Sylvia Busby, Northeast Jones High School Principal Cooper Pope, Jones County Assistant Superintendent James Walters, Jones County Resource Officer Ronnie Sumrall and Jones County Fire Public Information Officer Caleb Worrell.

Fire apparatus included Powers Heavy Rescue, Rescue 2, Rescue 3 and Brush 1; Glade Heavy Rescue. Units also arrived in their personal vehicles.