DECATUR, TN — A school bus crash in Meigs County, Tennessee, killed a 7-year-old student and the driver and injured five other children, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Officials said the bus was bringing students home when the collision happened on Highway 58 in Decatur, about an hour northeast of Chattanooga.

Police said the bus hit a utility service vehicle in a head-on crash after the truck appears to have swerved into the southbound lane. Twenty-two passengers were on the bus at the time, and one injured student was listed in critical condition. Children were taken to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga for treatment.

Officials say utility truck crossed into the bus’s lane

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said the utility vehicle appears to have moved into the southbound lane before striking the bus head-on. That sequence is central to investigators’ early account of the crash, though officials have not released a final finding on what caused the truck to drift into the wrong lane.

Highway 58 runs through the Decatur area in Meigs County, where the wreck brought emergency responders to the scene quickly. The crash involved a school bus carrying children home at the end of the day, turning a routine ride into a fatal collision that left families waiting for news about the students aboard.

Children were taken to Chattanooga hospital after the crash

Officials said five children were hurt in the wreck, including one student whose condition was described as critical. All of the injured children were being treated at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

The bus had 22 passengers, meaning most of the children on board were not seriously hurt, but the crash still sent multiple students to the hospital. Authorities have not publicly identified the victims, and no further details about the children’s ages or injuries were released in the early statements.

Meigs County schools worked to reunite families

The Meigs County Board of Education said parents were contacted after the crash and were either reunited with their children or directed to area hospitals. That response came as school officials tried to account for every student who had been on the bus and make sure families could reach them quickly.

In addition to the school system’s response, state education officials said they were mobilizing support for the district and the wider community. The goal, according to the Tennessee Department of Education, was to assist with safety response and services for students, staff and families affected by the crash.

State education leaders and local officials express grief

Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said the department was deeply saddened by the fatal crash and extended condolences to the families who lost loved ones. She said the department had already been in contact with district leaders and staff in Meigs County and nearby areas.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke also said he was saddened by news of the crash and asked people to keep the children and their families in their thoughts and prayers. His statement underscored how the wreck resonated beyond Meigs County, drawing concern from neighboring communities as details continued to emerge.

Crash investigation remains in its early stages

As of the latest statements, officials had confirmed the deaths of the student and bus driver and the injuries to five other children, but they had not announced any charges or said whether the utility driver was hurt. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the collision.

Authorities have provided a basic account of the sequence of events, but many questions remain about speed, roadway conditions and why the utility vehicle entered the bus’s lane. Those details will likely shape the broader investigation as officials continue to gather evidence from the scene and from witnesses.