Bus driver charged

Published 11:44 am Friday, October 19, 2012

AULANDER – A school bus full of students were transported to Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital after being involved in a traffic accident here Wednesday.

According to a report filed by N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper M.D. Simmons, the students were transported at the request of the Bertie County Board of Education following the accident at the intersection of N.C. 11 Business and Lombardi Street in Aulander. The bus driver was 53-year-old Arnita Myrick of Aulander.

The report said a 2008 Freightliner school bus owned by the Bertie County Board of Education was traveling on Lombardi Street at the same time a 2000 Ford minivan operated by Tommy Askew Jr., 23, of Windsor was travelling north on NC 11 Business.

Myrick reportedly stopped the school bus at the stop sign at NC 11 and then proceeded without yielding to the oncoming vehicle. The bus struck the minivan, which then hit the curb and overturned.

There were four adult passengers in the minivan along with one toddler. All six of the those in the vehicle were also transported to Vidant RCH, but no major injuries were reported.

The driver of the school bus was charged with failure to yield the right of way.