A Washington County, Virginia, school bus carrying Abingdon High School’s football team home from a game was hit head on Friday night, Oct. 2, on Highway 91 in Johnson County, Tennessee. The driver of the other vehicle, 35-year-old Douglas McMillan of Tennessee, died at the scene, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Three student athletes and the bus driver were hospitalized with minor injuries, and everyone on board was checked out.
The crash happened around 9:35 p.m., shortly after the Abingdon and Johnson County game ended. A preliminary report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol says McMillan’s 2013 Subaru Impreza crossed the center line and hit the front of the bus, sending both vehicles into a ditch. McMillan was alone in the car.
School leaders later said their community was blessed and protected. That is true. It is also true that a family in Tennessee lost someone that night, and both of those facts live on the same mountain road.
What happened in the Abingdon bus crash?
There were 28 people aboard the bus, according to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. It was one of two Abingdon buses traveling together, and only one was hit. A secondary crash happened in connection with the first, and one person from that crash was treated for minor injuries.
Highway 91 was closed in both directions near Waters and Greer Branch roads while crews worked the scene. The Tennessee Highway Patrol has taken over the investigation.
Who was hurt in the Abingdon bus crash?
Ballad Health said patients were taken to Johnson City Medical Center and Johnston Memorial Hospital, which activated incident command. Washington County Public Schools said the three student athletes and the driver suffered minor injuries.
The district credited its bus drivers with protecting students first. It also praised coaches for handling the scene and parents for jumping in to help. Athletic trainers, school counselors and Highlands Community Services cared for students that night and afterward. The district said the football team rallied around each other in a display of brotherhood.
Who died in the Abingdon bus crash?
The man who died was Douglas McMillan, 35, of Tennessee. Authorities have not released anything else about him. Johnson County Schools sent condolences to the Abingdon community and everyone affected. The sheriff’s office asked residents to keep all of the families, the students, school staff and first responders in their thoughts.
How did families get news after the Abingdon bus crash?
Spotty cell service made that harder. Washington County Public Schools said its communications director still got updates to families quickly despite the gaps. For parents waiting at home in Abingdon, every one of those messages mattered.
What happens next after the Abingdon bus crash?
The Tennessee Highway Patrol’s findings so far are preliminary, and investigators have not announced any final conclusions. Abingdon students will lean on counselors and each other in the days ahead.
On Friday night, two communities shared a football field. By Saturday morning, they shared something much heavier.
