A Watson Chapel School District bus was involved in a collision with a four-door luxury vehicle at the intersection of West 28th Avenue and Apple Street in Pine Bluff at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
District Superintendent Andrew Curry said no one aboard the bus or in the car was injured. Curry said there were 15 elementary school students on the bus, along with the driver, whom he said is going through the state-mandated protocol of being tested for drugs and alcohol before being cleared to drive a school bus again.
Curry added he believes the driver, whom he declined to name, will test negative.
Pine Bluff Police public information officers said a report on the accident would likely not be available until this morning, given the number of people aboard the bus.
The vehicles, Curry said, were both going eastbound on 28th when the bus made a wide right turn from the inside eastbound lane onto Apple and the car on the outside lane ran into the bus. Photos show the front driver's side quarter panel of the car ran into the lower panel of the bus, just next to the bus door, and came to rest in the corner of 28th and Apple.
The bus was going from Coleman Intermediate School to Edgewood Elementary School, Curry said.
"The majority of the kids there on the bus were put on to another bus, which then completed the route," Curry said. He added every student had to be accounted for before they could be released to their parents or guardians.
Curry said he drove the wrecked bus back to the district garage where it would be inspected. The students involved "more than likely" will ride on a different bus today, as the district is experiencing trouble getting needed parts due to a supply shortage, he said.