By Jim Tuttle
Smithfield Times Staff writer
When an Isle of Wight school bus went off the road and flipped onto its side Monday morning, one elementary school student was quick to call for help on a cell phone.
At about 8 a.m. Monday, bus 58 turned onto Maryland Avenue from Central Hill Road in Isle of Wight County. Shortly after the turn, the bus was “crowded” by another vehicle traveling in the other direction, and went off the right side of the roadway, tipping onto its side, said Trooper N.L. Johnson of the Virginia State Police.
The bus was in the process of picking up students to go to Windsor Elementary, said Isle of Wight Schools spokesperson Katherine Goff.
The accident was still under investigation by state police on Monday morning, and no one had been charged. The school division will conduct an investigation as well, Goff said.
“We’re following policy with regards to bus accidents, which includes an internal investigation and review.”
In addition to the bus driver, there were four elementary school age children on board. No one was injured, Johnson said. Parents were notified of the accident and were able to pick up their children at the scene.
The bus was righted and pulled out of the ditch by a wrecker truck later Monday morning.
One of the children riding on the bus notified police about the accident by calling 911 on a cell phone, Johnson said.
Under normal circumstances, students are prohibited from using cell phones on the school bus or at school, Goff said.
“They are supposed to be turned off and stowed away on the bus, but in this case …,” she said.
No one injured in bus mishap
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