MONROE, N.C. — Union County School bus which had 43 students onboard was involved in a fatal accident that left a driver dead after a head-on collision on Tuesday afternoon, reports say.
The accident happened on Secrest Short Cut Road around 2 p.m. involving the school bus and another vehicle. The driver of the vehicle that collided with the school bus was killed in the wreck, according to Monroe Police.
The bus was occupied by fourth grade students from Benton Heights Elementary.
“Forty-three students were on board and nine were transported to the hospital with minor injuries,” Tahira Stalberte, Assistant Superintendent for Communications and Community Relations at Union County Public Schools said.
A substitute bus was made available to transport the remaining students home safely.
“There will be additional counseling support at the school tomorrow to provide assistance for the students who were involved in the accident,” Stalberte said.
Police investigators have been working to find the exact cause of the accident.
The driver has been identified as 44-year-old David Paul Waire Jr. from Maryland.
The driver’s vehicle and cause of accident have not been released but will be upon the completion of the report, city officials said.
