Local News
Jefferson County school bus carrying students from Minor Elementary School overturned in a ravine
A Jefferson County school bus carrying students from Minor Elementary School overturned in a ravine on Friday morning, following a collision with a pickup truck. The incident occurred at 7:18 a.m. on Mulga Loop Road, prompting an immediate response from emergency services.
Officials confirmed that the students on board the bus were evaluated and reported to be unharmed.
However, a school employee suffered minor injuries during the accident.
The crash also involved a pickup truck, whose driver sustained the most severe injuries in the incident. Rescue crews worked to free the truck driver from their vehicle before transporting them to a local hospital.
Additionally, two children and two adults, including the school employee, were taken to area hospitals for further evaluation and treatment.
One student in a wheelchair was briefly trapped on the overturned bus but was successfully freed by first responders.
The circumstances leading to the collision remain under investigation. Authorities have not released further details about the condition of the injured individuals or the exact cause of the accident.
Local officials are working closely with the Jefferson County School District to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved. Families of the students have been notified, and the district is offering support services to those affected by the traumatic event.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. — Authorities have identified the woman killed in a fatal crash Monday morning that also left a child injured in Jefferson County.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, the victim has been identified as 32-year-old Erica Nicole Austin, a resident of Birmingham.
The collision occurred early Monday morning and involved a passenger vehicle and a dump truck, said Center Point Fire District Chief Brandon Dahlen.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after the crash was reported.
Upon arrival, first responders found Austin critically injured. Despite efforts to assist, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:46 a.m.
A child who was traveling with Austin sustained injuries in the collision and was transported by Center Point Fire and Rescue to Children’s of Alabama for treatment. The child’s condition has not been released.
The driver of the dump truck was not injured, officials confirmed.
The impact of the collision led to a complete closure of the roadway for approximately five hours as authorities worked to investigate the scene and clear the wreckage.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is leading the investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the deadly crash.
No additional details have been released at this time.