Expand / Collapse search
☰

3 airlifted after Troup County school bus crash in LaGrange

By and FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  October 4, 2024 12:04am EDT
Troup County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Multiple injuries in LaGrange school bus crash

New details about a serious school bus crash in Troup County. Police say nine children with disabilities were on that bus when a pickup truck collided with it. One of those kids – along with two adults – have been airlifted to hospitals in the region.

In brief:

    • School bus collision with a pickup truck in Troup County; three individuals airlifted with unknown conditions.
    • Pickup truck driver failed to yield, resulting in the bus overturning.
    • Nine children with disabilities and two adults were on the bus; only the pickup driver was in the truck.
    • Crash scene closed for investigation; Troup County School System notified the children's parents.

LAGRANGE, Ga. - A school bus carrying nine children with disabilities was involved in a serious collision with a pickup truck in Troup County on Tuesday afternoon. Three people were flown by air ambulances to nearby hospitals. 

According to the LaGrange Police Department, the crash occurred at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Mooty Bridge Road when the driver of a pickup truck failed to yield at a stop sign, colliding with the side of the bus. The impact caused the bus to overturn, leaving fresh tire tracks. 

LaGrange Police Chief Garrett Fiveash confirmed the details, stating, "On the bus, there were nine children, a bus monitor, and a bus driver. There was one subject, just the driver, in the other vehicle." 

Emergency crews responded to a school bus crash along Mooty Bridg Road in LaGrange on Oct. 3, 2024.

Emergency crews responded to a school bus crash along Mooty Bridg Road in LaGrange on Oct. 3, 2024.  (LaPorscha Maddox)

Emergency crews quickly responded to the scene, with the pickup truck driver, a child from the bus, and a bus monitor all being airlifted to different hospitals. "She was triaged and flown to Columbus," Chief Fiveash said, referring to the bus monitor. "The other child was flown to [Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta] hospital in Atlanta, and the driver of the pickup truck was flown to Grady [Memorial Hospital]." 

The conditions of those injured remain unknown.  

Fiveash said that due to the severity of the truck driver's injuries, investigators have not yet interviewed him. 

SKYFOX 5 showed the overturned school bus lying on its side in the middle of the roadway, with emergency exits opened. A red pickup truck was also visible, believed to be the other vehicle involved in the crash. 

Image 1 of 19
▼

A school bus overturned in a crash along Mooty Bridge Road in LaGrange on Oct. 3,  (FOX 5)

The entire area was closed as authorities reconstructed the scene. While it’s still too early to determine if any charges will be filed, Chief Fiveash praised the swift actions of school administrators. "School administrators were here very quickly. They did a great job getting the kids controlled and calm, separating them down the curb, which was a huge help." 

The Troup County School System confirmed that all nine students were from various schools in the district, and parents were promptly notified of the incident. 

Police continue to investigate the cause of the crash. 

Sources:

  • Troup County School System; Georgia Department of Transportation; LaGrange Police Department