MONTICELLO – Several students and the drivers of both vehiclessustained non life-threatening injuries Tuesday morning when aLawrence County school bus was struck by a pickup truck at theintersection of Highway 27 and Robert Tynes Road, authoritiessaid.

“I don’t think any of them had any major injuries,” saidMississippi Highway Patrol Troop M public affairs officer RustyBoyd. “I think it was all moderate to light, complaining ofpain-type injuries.”

Two students from the bus and 18-year-old Tyler Rutland, thedriver of the 1991 Ford pickup that collided with it, weretransported by ambulance to Lawrence County Hospital early Tuesday.Bus driver Terry McKenzie, 51, of Monticello, was taken by privatevehicle to the hospital.

Drivers of the bus and truck were wearing their seat belts andcomplained of minor injuries, Boyd said.

Eleven other Lawrence County High School students on the buswere transported to the hospital by a second bus and two were takenby their parents to the hospital for cursory checkups. LawrenceCounty Hospital officials were unable to provide any informationTuesday morning.

The accident occurred around 7:10 a.m. while the bus was makingmorning pickups, Boyd said.

Traffic along Highway 27 and Robert Tynes Road was blocked untilnearly 8 a.m. while emergency workers cleared the scene of theaccident.

Accident witness J.W. Fuller, of Jayess, said the bus slowed atthe stop sign on Robert Tynes Road, but did not come to a completestop. Boyd said it appears the bus actually turned in front of thepickup as it made its turn on to Highway 27.

Trooper Brandon Fortenberry, who worked the scene, said the busdriver stated he came to a complete stop, but did not see the FordRanger traveling south on Highway 27 as he attempted to make a turnto travel north on the highway.