Rachel Dove-Baldwin
Staff Writer
WEST WILLIAMSON — An accident occurred in West Williamson at the entrance of Armor Drive off of U.S. 52 on Tuesday afternoon that involved a collision between a Mingo County school bus and a private vehicle, sending one driver to the hospital with facial trauma and possible fractures. No children were reportedly injured.
According to information provided at the scene by Williamson Police (WPD) Chief C.D. Rockel, the school bus, carrying Williamson Middle School students, was attempting to turn onto Armor Drive to pick up children from Riverside Elementary, when the driver allegedly pulled across the roadway directly into the path of a small SUV driven by Kaitlin Mahon, of Persinger Drive.
Mahon was transported to the Williamson Memorial Hospital by STAT Ambulance for treatment of facial injuries she sustained during the accident. Billy Lee, of Matewan, the school bus operator was not injured, nor was any of the students on board. Lee was cited for failure to yield to oncoming traffic.
First responders, EMT’s and firefighters with the Williamson Fire Department responded to the accident. WPD Patrolman Jeff Taylor was the primary investigating officer, and was assisted by Chief Rockel and Sgt. Jimmy Spence. Emergency Services Director Jerrod Fletcher, Fire Chief Jerry Mounts and Chief Rockel established a designated area at the scene where the information for each child on the bus could be obtained and parents could pick them up, if they chose to do so. Another bus was brought to the scene to transport the children who needed a ride to their homes.
“Thankfully no children were injured here today, this could have ended in an entirely different manner,” stated Chief Rockel. “We can’t emphasize enough the importance of making sure traffic is not coming in either direction before crossing into the other lane to make a turn.”
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