2 Students Dead in School Bus Crash

CARROLL COUNTY (March 30) — At approximately noon on Friday, March 27, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) responded to the scene of a fatal crash on Highway 70 in Carroll County. The crash involved three vehicles: a Montgomery County school bus, a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) dump truck and a Chevrolet Trailblazer.

During a media briefing Friday afternoon, THP Major Travis Plotzer confirmed two middle school students were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Loved ones later identified the two children killed in the crash as eighth-graders Arianna Pearson and Zoe Davis, of Clarksville.

Multiple individuals remain hospitalized, according to the THP.

THP’s preliminary report, released Monday, March 30, confirmed there were 24 Kenwood Middle School students, four adults and a driver on the school bus at the time of the crash. The students were en route to the Toyota Hub City Grand Prix Greenpower USA race in Jackson, Tenn., to race an electric car they had built.

Monday’s report revealed that Sabrina R. Ducksworth was driving the school bus registered to the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.

Dennis E. Coleman Jr. was driving the TDOT dump truck. The truck was also towing an attenuator. James Bays was driving the blue 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer.

During Friday’s media briefing, Major Plotzer said it did not appear the TDOT truck had any “contributing factors” to the crash.

Federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating the crash in coordination with the THP Critical Incident Response Team and Pupil Transportation Division. The investigation includes gathering statements from witnesses and collecting the necessary information to reconstruct the collision.

It is unknown at this time when an official report will be available.

“All these victims, the families — everybody’s in our prayers tonight,” Carroll County Sheriff Andy Dickson said during Friday’s media briefing. “But also keep all our first responders in your prayers.”

All four units of Baptist Priority Ambulance Service of Carroll County responded to the scene on Friday. One unit from Baptist Ambulance Service of Obion County, four units from Medical Center EMS in Jackson and one unit from Henderson County EMS were also on the scene, joined by the Carroll County Fire Department, Huntingdon Fire Department, McKenzie Fire Department and the Carroll County Rescue Squad.

Baptist Priority Ambulance requested nine ambulance helicopters to respond to the scene. Of those, seven were used to transport patients to the following hospitals: Baptist Regional Medical Center in Memphis, Lebonheur Children’s Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University Hospital and Skyline Medical Center.

The THP sent chaplains and peer support groups to the scene and they are continuing to assist affected families and communities. Support services remain in place for students, families and staff affected by this tragic incident.

As the Clarksville-Montgomery County community mourns, some individuals have set up GoFundMe fundraisers for both of the children who died in the crash as well as individuals who were critically injured. The funds will reportedly be used for funeral expenses, medical expenses and to help cover the burden of food and shelter while families and teachers care for their loved ones or recover in the hospital.

“I ask that everyone pray and wrap their arms around these students, employees, their families and the entire Kenwood community,” said Clarksville-Montgomery County Director of Schools Dr. Jean Luna-Vedder.

Communities across the state have rallied their support for the families affected by this incident. Locally, school districts in Clarksburg, Hollow Rock-Bruceton, Huntingdon, McKenzie and West Carroll encouraged students to wear black and gold on Monday, March 30, in support of the Kenwood Middle School community.