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DRIVER SPEAKS: Ice cream truck, Chesterfield school bus crash sends 9 to hospital

Posted at 2:24 PM, Apr 03, 2012
and last updated 2012-04-04 11:18:46-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) – The driver of an ice cream truck that slammed head-on into a school bus said he swerved into on-coming truck to avoid hitting a car in front of him.

"A lady slammed on her brakes and to avoid hitting her I tried to swerve," said ice cream truck driver Jemel Murphy. "Unfortunately there was on-coming traffic."

Chesterfield Police Lt. Jerry Netherland said Murphy would be charged with reckless driving.

Seven students and two adults were taken to the hospital as a result of the accident. None of the students suffered serious injuries. The bus driver, who was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, was listed in good condition Tuesday night.

Lt. Jason Elmore said the crash happened between around 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at 1200 Charter Colony Parkway in Midlothian.

Bus number 527 was carrying 24 students from Midlothian High School. The seven students and the driver of the ice cream truck were taken to St. Francis Medical Center.

Chesterfield County Public Schools' Shawn Smith said all of the parents of the students on the bus received a message from the school about the accident.

Those kids were also late getting home since they had to be taken home on a another bus.