19 students injured when Edgecombe County bus flips, officials say

There were 20 elementary students on board the bus when it flipped around 7:10 a.m. at Stallings Road and Edgewood Church Road, the school said. According to officials with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, 19 students were taken to local hospitals. One child was listed in serious condition, but did not suffer life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

The school bus, operated by Julianne Bridgers, 40, of Pinetops, was traveling west on Stallings Road when the bus went off the road and overcorrected. The bus reentered the road, crossed left of center before overturning in a ditch.

David Saulter heard the crash and ran outside of his home to see what happened.

"It's not something you want to see first thing in the morning, before you have had your coffee, but it's shocking to look out and see a school bus turned over," Saulter said.

He said he called 911 and helped get the students off the bus.

"When kids are involved, you don't think twice about it," Saulter said.

He led the students out of the bus's back door. Some students were able to escape through the roof hatch. Saulter said he saw children with bruises and scratches, and a few had bloody noses.

"Most of them were crying and, like I said, some of there were hurt," he said. "They wanted to call their parents, but then some of the older kids were looking out for the smaller kids."

Bridgers was charged with reckless driving.

No additional information was immediately available.