Girl Relives Harrowing Deadly Double School Bus Accident In Tennessee


An accident involving two school buses Tuesday afternoon on Asheville Highway in Tennessee took the lives of two children and one adult. WBIR reports that police have released the names of the victims as 6-year-old Zykia Burns, 7-year-old Seraya Glasper and 46-year-old Kimberly Riddle, who were all pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

Two other students, 7-yeear-old Jaden Allen and 7-year-old Jada Parman, are still being treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and their condition is unknown at this time.

Joy Reinmann, a fifth grader at Chilhowee Intermediate School will never forget what happened on December 2, 2014. After being treated and released from East Tennessee’s Children’s Hospital, Joy spoke with WBIR, reliving the horrific details of the accident just hours before.

“The road was really slippery and I think [the bus driver] just turns around and crashed into another bus. Then everybody in all our bus almost blacked out and everyone was on the floor and screaming and crying… I thought I was going to die.”

Joy

The Associated Press reports that James Davenport, 47, was driving bus number 44 from Chilhowee Intermediate traveling east on Asheville Highway when he made a sharp left-hand turn and crossed over a concrete median.

It was then that Davenport’s bus rammed into the side of bus number 57, (driven by Joe Gallman, 67), from Knox County School causing it to flip on its side. Bus 57 continued sliding on its side until it came to a stop across both westbound lanes.

Numerous children from both buses were taken to local hospitals where they were treated and released Tuesday night.

Seeing her friends scared and hurting, Joy put aside her injuries and decided to be a friend to all who needed her, as reported by US News.

“Everyone just started crying, so I went over there hugging Lexi, my friend. Her nose was bleeding and her lip, and oh my gosh, everyone was just crying. So I went and hugged everyone.”

Joy was especially concerned for her bus driver as she reveals he was “very, very badly hurt” and in the hospital.

Suffering with a black eye, Joy’s mom realizes it could have been much worse for her daughter as they mourn for those who were tragically killed.

“I’m relieved, I’m so relieved. I couldn’t imagine her not with me anymore.”

Both schools were closed on Wednesday, although counselors were made available for those in need.

Dr. Jim McIntyre, Knox County Schools Superintendent, held an emotional news conference as reported by US News, stating, “This is an unspeakable tragedy. This is what we work every day to try to prevent.”

Joy’s mother will no doubt hold her daughter close in the days ahead.

“Take care of what you got… make the best of each day.”

[Photo Credit: USNews.com, WBIR.com]

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