School bus and truck collide, shut down road for hours

August 28, 2025

A serious crash involving a Moore County school bus and a Ford truck shut down a heavily traveled road in Moore County on Wednesday afternoon.

The crash happened on Vass-Carthage Road near Lees Branch Drive in Whispering Pines just after 4 p.m.

According to authorities on scene, a Ford truck hauling a tractor was traveling east toward Vass when the driver lost control and collided with a school bus transporting Union Pines High School students.

The impact caused the truck to overturn along with the trailer, throwing the tractor into the edge of the woods.

The school bus veered off the right side of the road and came to a stop upright against some trees. Both vehicles narrowly missed the large storm culvert crossing under Vass-Carthage Road in the same area.

Shortly after the collision happened, nearby residents and passersby stopped to help, called 911, and ensured the students and bus driver were safe. One witness brought the students bottles of water and described that the bus driver was “very calm” and “did a great job handling the bus and the kids.”

Officials on scene told Sandhills Sentinel that there were 21 people on the bus, including the driver, but none were seriously injured. Several went to the hospital to be checked out either by ambulance or with their families. The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries but declined transport.

An additional bus was brought to the scene to transport the remaining students home.

“This afternoon, Union Pines High School Bus 301 was involved in an accident on Vass‑Carthage Road with 20 students on board,” writes Charlie A. Batchelor III, director for Communications with Moore County Schools, in a statement to Sandhills Sentinel. “Minor injuries have been reported, and four students were transported to Moore Regional Hospital. Other students were picked up by their families at the scene. Additionally, the bus driver plans to be assessed at a local urgent care facility.”

Vass-Carthage Road was shut down between Heritage Farm Road and Niagara-Carthage Road for three hours while crews worked the scene and removed the vehicles.

The N.C. Highway Patrol was on scene investigating and said the driver of the Ford truck was cited for failure to maintain lane control. After speaking with Highway Patrol, Moore County Schools indicated that at this time, it does not appear that the Moore County Schools bus driver was at fault.

~Article and photos by Sandhills Sentinel reporter Daniel Gwyn. Daniel has been reporting breaking news for Sandhills Sentinel since 2020.