SCHOOL BUS CRASH REPORTS 2007

Lake Butler, Florida Coping With Another School Bus Tragedy
March 3, 2007

LAKE BUTLER, FL -- Their flag is at half staff and Lake Butler Elementary School is grieving.

"The kids are handling it pretty well, probably better than the adults," says Lake Butler Superintendent Carlton Faulk.

Five-year-old Brittany Carney was killed yesterday after leaving the school - run over when she got off her school bus.

Eight counselors were at all three Lake Butler schools meeting with students.

The Lake Butler Community is still recovering from a tragic accident a year ago. A truck slammed into a car stopped behind a school bus, killing all seven children in the car.

Some of them were students at Lake Butler Elementary.

"We've never had a bus accident until the last couple years. And that's what they are... accidents and it's been tragic for the community and the families," says Faulk.

The Florida Highway Patrol is handling the crash investigation.

FHP says most likely the bus driver, Beverly Tyson, was simply distracted by other students.

"Accidents are going to happen, maybe we can learn something from this but we have to move on and sometimes these accidents are going to happen," says Union County Sheriff Jerry Whitehead.

The bus driver Beverly Tyson, went to the hospital after the accident but was back at home last night.

Now her family says she has gone back into a Gainesville hospital because she is so distraught over the accident.

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