Teen charged in Chatham school bus wreck

BEAR CREEK, N.C. — Some students suffered bumps and bruises when their school bus was involved in a three-vehicle wreck along U.S. Highway 902 on Friday afternoon.

Bus number 176 from Bonlee School was slowing to a stop and had on its flashers when the wreck occured near Siler City-Glendon Road around 3:30 p.m, said Beth McCulloh, with Chatham County Schools.

A van traveling in the opposite lane stopped, as required by law. A truck ran into the back of the stopped van, a Highway Patrol spokesman said, pushing the van across the center line and into the bus.

Of the 30 students on the bus, six complained of cuts and bruises, but none had to be treated at a hospital, McCulloh said.

A passenger in the van, Matthew Brewer, 14, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, according to highway patrol. Other minor injuries were treated at the scene.

The driver of the truck, William Tharett, 16, was charegd with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.