Troopers: 1 dead after car crashes head-on into Cabarrus Co. school bus

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — One person died in a head-on wreck involving a Cabarrus County school bus Tuesday morning, Highway Patrol troopers said.

A Cox Mill Middle School bus was heading westbound on Davidson Highway near the Coddle Creek Reservoir when an oncoming 2003 Saturn 4-door swerved and crashed head-on into the bus, troopers said.

The driver of the car, James Murphy, 66, of Denver died.

A 2006 Chrysler Sebringer, driven by James Wetter, rear-ended the bus and went under it. He did not have serious injuries.

Neighbors described what they heard and saw after the crash to Channel 9.

“We saw the cops pulling up, the helicopter flying over and it was just disturbing. I didn't know what had happened. We didn't know if a wreck had happened,” said Tamara Shehorn.

No students were on the bus at the time of the wreck, school officials said.

"We saw the cops pulling up, the helicopter flying over and it was just disturbing,” nearby resident Tamara Shehorn said. “I didn't know what had happened. We didn't know if a wreck had happened."

The bus driver, Lisa Blakney, was trapped inside the bus but had no serious injuries.

Investigators are still looking into why Murphy crossed the center line.

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