Two men dead, several injured in crash involving special needs bus in north Lee County
A heartbreaking story is coming out from north Lee County Monday morning after a serious motor vehicle accident involving a bus carrying students from Valley Haven school.
The crash on U.S. Highway 29 North near Sellers Drive on Monday, December 9, 2024 around 6:54 A.M. The crash involved a Valley Haven bus carrying special needs students, and two other vehicles, including a Ford F150.
ALEA Lieutenant Jeremy J. Burkett confirmed the Valley Haven school bus, which was a 2022 Ford E-450 transport van collided head-on with the 2004 Ford F-150 pickup. After the initial impact, the Ford transport van then collided with the 2006 Nissan Xterra.
Agencies from Lee County, including Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Beulah Fire Department, EAMC ETS, Lee County Emergency Management Agency, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Opelika Fire Department, Opelika Police Department, responded to the scene.
Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones and Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton confirmed the crash left two people dead and left several injured.
Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton identified the deceased victims as 49-year-old Corbin Hamby Jr., of Salem, and 53-year-old Tyrone Williams, of Opelika. Hamby Jr. was a passenger in a Valley Haven bus and Williams was the driver of a Ford F150. Both were pronounced deceased on scene.
“The decedents will be transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, Montgomery Medical Facility for postmortem exam,” Sexton added.
The driver of the Ford transport van Jeanette J. Washington, 60, of Lanett, was injured and transported to East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) in Opelika.
Christopher C. Sanders, 42, of Opelika, Brandy Hunt, 41, of Opelika, Jodie Baker, 39, of Opelika, and Jerry Hunt, 34, of Opelika, were all passengers in the Ford transport van, were injured and transported to East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika for treatment.
Ashley Nellons, 39, of Opelika, Carlton Smith, 34, of Opelika, Jadarious Madden, 41, of Opelika, and Cornelius L. Lockhart, 36, of Opelika, were also passengers in the Ford transport van, were injured and transported Piedmont Columbus Regional – Midtown in Columbus for treatment.
State Troopers with the Highway Patrol division of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) are leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.
Related stories
TrafficTwo injured in early Friday morning crash along Highway 280 in Salem
TrafficRollover crash reported on U.S. Highway 280 in Lee County early Sunday
TrafficCrash involving commercial vehicle blocks Marvyn Pkwy. in Opelika
TrafficMulti-vehicle crash on County Road 183 in Salem
TrafficVehicle fire on I-185 North in Columbus