According to authorities, four people are dead and at least nine more are injured following a collision between a school bus and a SUV in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.
According to the Advocate, a school bus carrying the Lafayette High School baseball team was involved in a fatal collision after an SUV suffered a blowout and crossed into oncoming traffic along U.S. 90 on Saturday.
The 36-year-old driver of the SUV, Ladonna Cheatham, as well as three of her passengers – 6-year-old Destiny Cheatham, 14-year-old Dwayne Escort and 16-year-old Marcus Cheatham– were all ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities believe all were unrestrained.
The SUV’s fourth passenger, mark Cheatham, 17, was rushed to an area hospital with moderate injuries. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.
Seven of the students and a 23-year-old man riding in the bus were also transported to area hospitals with moderate injuries. 35 people, including 30 students, were on the bus at the time of the accident.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the tire failure.