BARBOURVILLE, KY - According to Knox County Sheriff Mike Smith, on Monday, September 16, 2024, at approximately 3:35 pm a Knox County School Bus was transporting 35 students from Lynn Camp Elementary, Middle, and High Schools, along with a bus monitor, when it was struck by an SUV at the intersection of KY Highway 1232 and Indian Oaks Drive in Corbin.
Sheriff Mike Smith and LT Sam Mullins where on patrol in the area at the time of the crash and were the initial responders on the scene. The bus was nose first over the roadway embankment in a deep ditch with the only emergency evacuation option being in the rear of the bus.
Sheriff Smith, LT Mullins and a KSP Trooper helped lift the children out of the emergency rear window of the bus one at a time. They were assisted by other deputies and West Knox Fire Department personnel.
Two of the children and the bus monitor suffered non-life threatening injuries and were transported to Baptist Health in Corbin by Knox County EMS.
During the investigation deputies learned that an SUV was traveling down the hill on Indian Oaks Drive when the brakes failed and the vehicle was unable to stop at the intersection of KY 1232. The SUV continued across KY 1232 into the oncoming path of the bus that was traveling south on KY 1232, causing the collision.
After the collision, the school bus continued until it came to rest over an embankment in a ditch, The SUV, occupied by a male driver and his three year old son, continued across KY 1232 and overturned in an embankment.
The three year old child was also transported to the Baptist Health in Corbin with non-life threatening injuries. The small child was in a child safety seat and did not receive serious injury.
KSP, Knox County Ambulance Service, and the West Knox Fire Department also assisted at the scene.
