ROGERSVILLE, TN – A fatal head-on collision led to the death of a school bus driver in Tennessee on Monday. An 18-year-old male driving on the wrong side of the road resulted in a head-on crash with a school bus that Aleita Gladson, 55, of Rogersville, Tennessee, was driving.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol reported that the incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. on Highway 70 in Hawkins County, when the pickup truck driven by the 18-year-old collided with the school bus, resulting in Gladson’s untimely death. Both vehicles were damaged extensively by the impact of the crash.
The teenager, whose name is being withheld, also sustained injuries from the collision. Pending charges are currently in place against the teen driver.
The crash scene, near Willow Road in northern Tennessee, involved the rescue and evacuation of an injured individual by the Hawkins County Rescue Squad. Following the incident, Hawkins County Schools Director Matt Hixson confirmed that two students on board sustained minor injuries and were treated medically.
Gladson, a valued member of the Hawkins County Schools, held positions as a bus driver, secretary, and assistant director within the Transportation Department. Her sudden death has triggered a wave of social media tributes in her honor from the community she served.