School bus involved in accident

School bus involved in accident
Roger R. West
Last Thursday started out as any
other normal school day for 12-yearold
Jessica Hartman of Hilliard,
however that all changed in a blink of
the eye. Her school bus stopped on US
1 in front of Buford Grove Baptist
Church. As she made her way onto the
bus and preceded down the aisle to her
seat, a semi log hauler careened into'
the rear of the bus. Jessica was thrown
to the floor as the bus was hurled
forward from the impact. Jessica was
the only student on the bus at the time
of the accident. ·
Luckily for Jessica and the school
bus driver Janet Jones, neither received
serious injuries. Jessica was
transported to Shands Hospital by
Nassau County Fire Rescue for
precautionary measures with minor
injuries. Mrs. Jones complained only of
minor leg pain at the scene. The truck
driver was not. injured.
James Cothern of Blackshear, Georgia was driving his log truck north
on US 1 heading back to Georgia after
an early morning haul to the mill. He
stated he did not see the school bus
stopped in the road in time to stop his
rig. Cothern was charged as the at-fault
driver in the accident. The Florida
Highway Patrol reported that Mrs.
Jones had properly stopped the bus
with its warning . lights on and stop
signs deployed. •
Westside Journal
Nassau County
April 21 , 2011