By Karen Martin

Staff reporter

kamartin@elkintribune.com

At approximately 7:20 a.m. Monday, a small pick-up truck driven by Gage Hayes, a senior at the Career and Technical Education school in Wilkes County, and school bus No. 1, collided on Wyles Ridge Road in Wilkes County.

Phillip Cleary, a seven-year veteran bus driver was traveling West on Wyles Ridge while Hayes was traveling East.

“It appears that Hayes ran off the right side of the road and when he tried to come back on the road, he over-corrected, turning into the path of the oncoming bus,” said one of the volunteer firefighters on the scene, who wished to remain anonymous.

Dr. Wanda Hutchinson, assistant superintendent of Wilkes County Schools was on the scene within minutes of the accident, along with members of the Traphill Volunteer Fire Department, Wilkes County Emergency Medical Services, two North Carolina State Highway Patrol officers and members of the Wilkes County bus maintenance division.

Hayes was taken to Wilkes Regional Medical Center for examination, although he was walking around after the accident. None of the 17 to 18 students on board the bus reported having any injuries.

Students on board the bus were transferred to another bus that was brought to the site and driven to North Wilkes Middle school and North Wilkes High School.

There were no elementary school children on the bus at the time of the accident.