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  • (Credit: Earl Smith)
  • (Credit: Earl Smith)
  • (Credit: Earl Smith)
  • (WGHP)
  • (WGHP)
  • (WGHP)
  • (WGHP)

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Emergency crews responded to a fatal accident involving a school bus and a car in eastern Guilford County on Wednesday evening.

The accident happened on Knox Road south of U.S. 70 in the McLeansville area at 4:38 p.m.

Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Knox said a Toyota car was traveling southbound on Knox Road with five people in the vehicle. Knox said the driver is believed to have been speeding.

The Toyota veered left of center into the path of the school bus, Knox said. The bus tried to miss the car, the driver of the Toyota overcorrected and the two vehicles collided head-on.

Knox confirmed the front seat passenger in the Toyota was killed. That person has been identified as 17-year-old Kie Landon Johnson, of Whitsett, a student at Eastern Guilford High School.

The bus was serving Hairston Middle School. Only one student was on the bus.

Six others — the bus driver, the student on the bus and the four other occupants of the Toyota — all sustained injuries of some sort, Knox said.

The four other occupants of the Toyota sustained injuries ranging from serious to life-threatening. They were all transported to Cone Hospital in Greensboro.

The driver of the Toyota has been identified as 18-year-old Jacob Almon Larkin, of Whitsett, according to Knox. A back seat passenger has been identified as 17-year-old Mikayla Campbell, of McLeansville. The names of two other minors who were in the car have been withheld.

All are students at Eastern High School.

Knox said the bus driver and student sustained minor injuries and were transported to the hospital to be checked out.

The bus driver was identified as Lakeshia Miller. The name of the Hairston Middle student on the bus has been withheld, but Knox said the student is 12 years old.

Eastern High Principal Marilyn Foley issued the following statement Thursday morning:

“Eastern High is devastated by the loss of this young man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and all who were involved in this tragedy. We have reached out to offer support to the students injured in the accident and their families, as well as the rest of our school family during this difficult time.”

Additional counselors are available at the school today.