Multiple people injured when school bus rolls over in West Virginia; driver arrested

MOUNT ZION, W.Va. — Multiple children were injured on Monday when a bus rolled over on a West Virginia highway, authorities said. The driver is in custody for allegedly driving under the influence.

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The accident occurred at about 6 p.m. EST on Route 16 near Mount Zion, WOWK-TV reported. According to the West Virginia State Police, the vehicle overturned near Calhoun County Middle/High School, WCHS-TV reported.

Bus driver arraigned

Update 10:59 p.m. EST March 4: The bus driver, identified as Jeffrey Allen Brannon, 54, of Big Bend, West Virginia, was arraigned on three counts of DUI causing injury and three counts of child neglect causing injury, WSAZ-TV reported, citing a criminal complaint from Calhoun County Magistrate Court.

Brannon’s bond was set at $250,000. His preliminary hearing is set for March 14, according to the television station.

Original report: Troopers said 14 to 16 students were injured, according to the television station.

State police said the driver was arrested for driving under the influence and was also charged with child neglect, WSAZ-TV reported

Troopers said the bus driver ran off the road and then struck a culvert, causing the vehicle to roll over.

Authorities did not release the ages of the children.

Calhoun County Sheriff Graham Knight said that two people were airlifted to an area hospital, according to WSAZ-TV.

One student who was airlifted had injuries that were serious but not considered to be life-threatening, according to WOWK.

Other students were taken to an area hospital by ambulances, the television station reported. Their injuries are also not considered to be life-threatening.

Knight said that the vehicle was an activity bus leaving the high school, according to WSAZ.

An investigation is ongoing.

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