32 Pre-Schoolers Suffer Minor Injuries in School Bus Crash

Amy Rothschild

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Thirty-two students at Harleyville-Ridgeville Elementary School, were headed to see "The Wiz" at Charleston Southern University on Thursday, March 6, 2008, when Dorchester District 4 school bus in which they were riding was involved in a head-on collision. On U.S. Highway 78 near U.S. Highway 178, the school bus collided with a sports utility vehicle driven by a county employee, Joe Simmons, superintendent for public works in the solid waste division. The accident occurred when Mr. Simmons, who was driving a Blazer, crossed the median and sideswiped a Mitsubishi. Mr. Simmons continued driving and then struck the bus.

Mr. Simmons was hospitalized. The driver of the Mitsubishi and her daugther were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Fortunately, the children only suffered minor injuries, the worst being bumps and bruises, but were all taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. There were no seatbelts on the school bus.