North Carolina School Bus Overturns, Bus Driver Charged

BELMONT, N.C. — A school bus driver has been charged and was suspended after her bus overturned on Tuesday, officials said.

A state trooper told WCNC that at about 6:45 a.m., bus driver Milagros Pena drove off the shoulder of the road, which was muddy, and lost control of the bus. He also said that the bus slid, hit a ditch, and overturned. None of the students aboard the bus were injured, according to the news source. Pena was charged with careless and reckless driving, and with driving too fast for road conditions.

The New Hope Fire Department reported that there were four students aboard the vehicle when it overturned. The fire department posted photos of the crash scene on Twitter:

Lake Wylie Rd - School bus overturned, 4 students and driver onboard. NO injuries. #CltTraffic #NHfire pic.twitter.com/fkNTBSWexw

— New Hope FD (@NewHopeFD) January 3, 2017

School officials told WSOC that Pena was suspended without pay. The news source also reports that the bus involved in the crash is out of service and that another driver has been assigned to the route.