POLK COUNTY, Ga. — Georgia State Patrol has released the name of the woman accused of driving drunk and crashing into a school bus full of Rome High School students Thursday night.
Jeyonna Underwood, 21, is in the Polk County Jail charged with DUI, failure to maintain lane and DUI- endangerment of a child under 14.
Troopers said she crossed the center line at Highway 101 and Doc Moates Rd. and hit the bus just before 11 p.m. on Thursday.
The bus was carrying Rome High School football players and coaches. They’d just won a scrimmage against Rockmart High School and made it less than seven miles down the road when the wreck happened.
“They were all happy. They played a very good game,” School Resource Officer Sterling Haney said to Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco.
He was trailing behind the bus when he heard dispatchers ask for help.
“I can close my eyes right now and still see some of those kids broken down and upset,” said Officer Haney.
He said he’s known many of them since he started his work at Rome City Schools more than a decade ago.
“I’ve had these kids since they were little kids. Now, they’re twice my size,” said Haney. “My heart hurts for them.”
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He said he had no words when he learned the driver who hit the bus was accused of driving drunk with a baby in the car.
“Look at the tragedy you could have caused to these young kids,” said Officer Haney.
Troopers said they arrested Underwood, and the family came and took the baby. Medics took 13 players, two coaches and the bus driver to the hospital with cuts and bruises.
“It just breaks my heart seeing somebody doing that,” said Josh Sutherland.
The bus landed in Sunderland’s front yard.
“I dropped everything, and took off running down there. There was some kids getting out of the bus, but the bus driver was still in there. I went through the window to get him out,” said Sutherland.
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Rome City Schools sent a special thank you to the bus driver, Nakita Strickland, on Friday.
“Strickland’s fast thinking and safety-first mindset kept the crash from becoming far worse,” a district spokesperson wrote.
Officer Haney said he hasn’t slept or eaten well since the crash, but he made it to work Friday in case the kids needed to talk.
“You can cry, you can tell me everything about it,” said Officer Haney. “I think we’re going to come through this stronger. I think the kids are going to lean on each other a lot more.”
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