Officials: Bus driver, 7 students hurt after charter buses crash on I-85 in Gaston County
The crash happened on I-85 North near the East Ozark Avenue exit.
GASTONIA, N.C. (WBTV) - Two charter buses carrying a total of 85 students were involved in a crash on I-85 in Gaston County on Friday morning, the Gastonia Police Department said.
Officials said the crash was reported around 9:45 a.m. on the northbound side near the exit to East Ozark Avenue.
Police stated that due to heavy traffic the first bus applied the breaks, but the other bus driver could not stop their bus fast enough and rear-ended the bus in front. The second bus left the roadway and ran into the woods during the crash.
The buses were carrying approximately 85 students and 21 chaperones from Gettys Middle School in Pickens County, S.C., to Carowinds for a field trip.
A spokesperson from the School District of Pickens County said seven students and a bus driver were taken to the hospital. None of the injuries are said to be serious.
The Gastonia Police Department stated that the bus driver was cited for failure to reduce speed.
Parents and guardians of students involved in the crash have been notified.
The NC Department of Transportation said one lane had been closed in the area, but it has since reopened.
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