WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — Four students were injured Tuesday morning after a school bus crashed in White County, prompting a large emergency response from multiple agencies.

According to White County 911, calls began coming in around 6:26 a.m. on April 28 reporting a crash involving a school bus near the intersection of Ga. 115 West and Ga. 284.

Deputies, fire crews, and EMS personnel responded to the scene, along with mutual aid from the Cleveland Fire Department and troopers from the Georgia State Patrol.

When first responders arrived, they found the bus off the roadway with students still inside, according to White County Public Information Officer Bryce Barrett. Emergency crews entered the bus, assessed those on board, and evacuated students through the rear emergency exit.

Officials said 10 students were on the bus at the time of the crash. Four students reported minor injuries and were transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for evaluation. School system administrators accompanied the students to the hospital.

Preliminary findings from the Georgia State Patrol indicate the crash occurred around 6:56 a.m. A 2022 Blue Bird school bus operated by the White County School System was traveling west on Ga. 115 when the driver attempted to turn left onto Shoal Creek Church Road.

Authorities say the driver, identified as 73-year-old Henri Romane Kinson of Sautee Nacoochee, misjudged the turn, causing the bus to leave the roadway and strike a ditch with its front end. Kinson was cited for a lane violation, officials said.

White County Superintendent of Schools Jonathan Stribling said the students involved were middle and high school-aged and that parents were notified shortly after the crash.

“My thoughts and prayers are with all involved,” Stribling said in a statement.

Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing, and additional details may be released as they become available.