November 21, 2016 - The intersection of Tenaha and Church Streets in Center was the scene of an incident involving a Center ISD School bus and a pickup truck on Friday, November 18, 2016 at 5:15pm.
Center ISD officials responded immediately to the scene as well as officers with the Center Police Department and ACE EMS personnel.
The school bus which was on Church Street did not appear to have any visible signs of damage; however, an orange GMC pickup truck traveling through the intersection, spun around and struck the curb damaging the left rear wheel and bringing the truck to rest on the sidewalk.
EMS personnel examined occupants of the pickup truck for injuries and it appeared none of the students received injury from the incident. To follow protocol, another bus driver took the place of the original driver and the bus continued its route. Some students disembarked from the bus at the scene as parents were waiting to pick them up.
The Center Police Department is investigating the incident.
According to Center Police Officer Andrew Williams, at 4:07pm a Center ISD school bus driven by Milton Ragan, 65, of Center was eastbound on Church Street when Ragan stated he came to a stop at the Tenaha Street intersection where he came to a stop. Once the intersection was clear, Ragan said he proceeded into the intersection. At that time a GMC pickup truck driven by Zebedee Moore Jr., 66, of Center traveling south, had stopped and entered the intersection.
The bus struck the GMC in the rear passenger side and the truck spun around striking the curb on the west side of the street causing damage to the rear driver's side wheel.
At the time of the crash there were 26 students on the bus ranging in age from 4 to 18. No injuries were reported by anyone on board the bus. ACE EMS checked all parties involved including Moore's passenger Lula Moore, 64, of Center an no one was transported from the scene. No citations were issued.
