Four people were killed when the car they were in slammed head-on into a school bus, in a tragic accident that occurred in Lumberton, North Carolina. There were no children on the bus at the time of the crash.
According to police reports, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a suspicious vehicle. The motorist who made the call was driving behind the Nissan Maxima and was still following the car when the call was made. Police have not released the reasons why the motorist felt the car was “suspicious”, however, there were guns found in wrecked vehicle and initial reports said the four people killed in the crash were suspects in a case of breaking-and-entering.
At the time of the crash, deputies were also following the Nissan, however they were not in pursuit mode. The Nissan was traveling at a speed of approximately 80 m.p.h., in an area with a 55 m.p.h. posted speed limit, when it came upon a curve and plowed into the school bus, which was traveling in the other direction.
The force of the impact caused the Nissan to split up into three different sections. Three passengers in the car, a 15 year-old male from Rowland and two other males, one 18 and the other 19 years old, from Fairmont, were all thrown from the car and killed instantly. The 16 year old male driver, from Lumberton, was wearing a seat belt and his body was found, still strapped, in one of the sections of the Nissan.
The 36 year old man driving the school bus, a mechanic test driving the school bus, was taken to Southeastern Regional Medical Center after the accident. He was later transferred to Duke University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Our personal injury law firm has represented many clients who have been injured in accidents caused by drivers who chose to disobey the law. If you have been injured in an accident, or have lost a loved one in a tragic accident, contact a dedicated North Carolina wrongful death attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have for pain and loss.