ALBEMARLE, N.C. — A county bus driver was killed in a crash on Highway 52 in Albemarle Wednesday morning.
It happened around 6:45 a.m. near Salisbury Avenue and temporarily shut down both directions of the highway.
Albemarle city officials say a Stanly County Public Transportation Bus and a Ford pickup truck were traveling north when a southbound Jeep struck an object in the road and collided head-on with the bus.
The bus driver, 60-year-old Stella Dase, was pronounced dead on scene. The county manager, Andrew Lucas, said Dase had been a “dedicated” county employee for over 19 years.
“She will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing or working with her,” Lucas said in a release.
The driver of the Jeep was seriously hurt in the crash, and a second county employee who was on the bus was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Officials say the vehicle that the object in the road came from has been located. Dustin Kendall, a 37-year-old from New London, has since been charged with failure to secure load and driving with expired registration.
The investigation into the crash remains active. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Albemarle Police Department.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.