Boy, 11, Injured in Cherokee School Bus Accident

An 11-year-old boy suffered minor injuries in a school bus accident involving a transfer truck Wednesday morning.

The Georgia State Patrol is investigating the accident, which occurred at the intersection of S.R. 20/Cumming Highway and S.R. 369/Hightower Road east of Canton.

According to the state agency, a truck traveling southbound on S.R. 369/Hightower Road towards the highway’s intersection with S.R. 20 was hit by a bus belonging to the Cherokee County School District.

GSP spokesperson Tracey Watson said 46-year-old Jose Alfaro, the driver of the truck, “failed to stop at the stop sign” on S.R. 369 and entered into the intersection.

The truck was struck on the left side of its cab by the front of the school bus, which was traveling westbound on S.R. 20 towards S.R. 369.

Alfaro was cited for failure to stop at stop sign and failure to yield at intersection in the accident, Watson added.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson Tim Cavender said the 11-year-old boy, who was the only student on the bus at the time, was taken by his mother to a local doctor to be evaluated.

The bus driver, 75-year-old James Edgar of Canton, suffered an injury to his hand and was transported to Northside Hospital-Cherokee for treatment, Cavender stated.

Cherokee County School District spokesperson Barbara Jacoby said the bus was traveling on the route for Ball Ground, Free Home and Macedonia elementary schools.

Wednesday morning’s accident also resulted in a fuel spill on the highway, and members of the Cherokee County Hazardous Materials Team were dispatched to clean up the material.

Cumming Highway was blocked until the clean-up was complete, and reopened around 9:40 a.m.

Photo credits: Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services