Six Dillard Charter Academy students were released from a hospital, while the driver was airlifted to Greenville.
GOLDSBORO, NC — A school bus carrying Dillard Charter Academy students crashed into a low bridge Thursday afternoon in Goldsboro, injuring six children and the driver, police and school officials said.
The crash drew a large emergency response to North Carolina Street and West Vine Street around 4 p.m., a busy time when students were being taken home. Officials said nine children and two adults were on the bus, including the driver and a bus monitor. The six injured students were taken to UNC Health Wayne with injuries officials described as not life-threatening.
The driver was airlifted to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville. Officials had not released the driver’s condition by early Friday. Dillard Academy Charter School said in a statement that it was thankful for the response by Goldsboro police and Wayne EMS. “Please keep all passengers, and especially the bus driver, in your thoughts and prayers during this time,” the school said.
Police said the crash involved only the school bus. The bus appeared to have tried to pass under the bridge before its front end was crushed. Video from the scene showed major damage to the top and front of the yellow bus, with emergency crews working near the bridge and the roadway blocked off. Dispatch radio traffic said all children were out of the bus after the crash, though some had injuries.
Goldsboro Chief of Police Michael West said the students on board were from Dillard Charter Academy. The crash happened at a bridge where online street-level images showed a posted clearance of 7 feet, 6 inches. Officials had not said whether the bus was on its regular route, whether the driver missed warning signs or whether any mechanical issue played a role.
Witnesses and neighbors described a violent impact. Whitney Dixon, who saw the crash scene, said it was “a very devastating scene” and called it “so horrible.” Neighbors told WRAL News the posted speed limit in the area is 25 mph and said the bus appeared to be traveling faster, but police had not confirmed the bus’s speed.
The crash also raised fresh concern among people who live near the bridge. One neighbor said large vehicles have struck the same bridge before, including moving trucks. The neighbor said some drivers do not notice the warning signs already posted near the bridge and said a height sign should be placed directly on the structure. City and police officials had not announced any immediate traffic changes at the site.
Authorities have not said what caused the crash, and no charges had been announced as of Friday morning. The next steps are expected to include a review of the bus route, the driver’s actions, the bridge warning signs and any available video or witness statements. Police had not released the names or ages of the students, the driver or the bus monitor.
UNC Health Wayne said the students taken there were released Thursday night. The driver remained the main unanswered concern Friday, with officials saying only that the driver had been flown to ECU Health Medical Center after the crash.
Author note: Last updated May 1, 2026.