Clarksville, TN – Two Kenwood Middle School students were killed and several others injured Friday when their school bus was involved in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 70 in Carroll County, about 100 miles southwest of Clarksville.
The collision occurred around noon near the intersection of Highway 70 and Cedar Grove. A Tennessee Department of Transportation dump truck with two occupants and a Chevrolet Trailblazer with one occupant were also involved.
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System bus was carrying 25 students and five adults to Jackson, Tennessee, for the Toyota Hub City Grand Prix, a GreenpowerUSA racing competition at Rockabillys Baseball Stadium.
The students had spent the school year designing and building electric vehicles as part of the GreenpowerUSA curriculum. Two Kenwood teams, Kenwood Middle 52 and Kenwood Middle 72, were registered to compete in the Intermediate Stock Division.
Tennessee Highway Patrol Major Travis Plotzer confirmed at a 5:00pm press conference that two students were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities had not been released as of Saturday morning. Plotzer indicated that based on preliminary findings, the TDOT truck did not appear to have been a contributing factor but emphasized that investigators were still working through the details. No determination of fault has been made.
CMCSS confirmed the bus and driver were part of the district’s own fleet. The school system does not contract out transportation services.
Emergency Response
The crash prompted a large-scale emergency response across West Tennessee. Nine air ambulances were requested and seven were deployed to transport patients to trauma centers in Nashville and Memphis, according to Andrew Hoard, director of Baptist Ambulance in west Tennessee. Emergency crews from Carroll County and surrounding communities also responded to the scene.
Four students were airlifted to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville. A Vanderbilt Health spokesperson confirmed Friday evening that all four were in stable condition.
Nineteen additional people were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Carroll County. Spokesperson Kim Alexander said all 19 were evaluated and released, though the hospital could not specify how many had sustained injuries.
Carroll County Sheriff Andy Dickson spoke to the toll the scene took on first responders, saying they witnessed things that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. He asked the public to keep responders in their thoughts alongside the families.
Community Response
News of the crash spread through Clarksville rapidly on Friday afternoon.
Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden urged the community to come together in prayer. Governor Bill Lee said he and the First Lady were heartbroken and asked all Tennesseans to pray for the students, faculty, TDOT employees, and every family affected.
Clarksville City Council member and middle school teacher Brian Zacharias encouraged parents across the community to check in with their children, even those with no direct connection to Kenwood. He noted that this kind of news travels quickly among young people and can affect them in ways that are not always immediately apparent.
The Clarksville Police Department, U.S. Representative Matt Van Epps, Senator Marsha Blackburn, State Representative Ronnie Glynn, and other elected officials also issued statements of condolence. Kenwood High School expressed solidarity with the middle school and reminded students that counselors and support staff are available.
School District Response
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System released a statement Friday evening expressing devastation at the loss of two young lives. The district pledged continued support for the Kenwood community and said it would announce ways for the public to assist affected families once details are finalized.
Kenwood Middle School Principal Karen Miller called the crash an unimaginable tragedy and said the well-being of students, staff, and families remains the school’s foremost priority. Miller said the school will look to parents to guide how and when their children learn about what happened. Counselors will be on site at Kenwood Middle beginning Monday, March 30, and will remain available for as long as they are needed.
An Empty Pit Station in Jackson
The Toyota Hub City Grand Prix continued Saturday morning at Rockabillys Stadium in Jackson. GreenpowerUSA Executive Director Drew Sparks said in a statement that the organization was heartbroken and that no parent should ever have to receive such news.
GreenpowerUSA set up a pit station for the Kenwood Middle School team at the event so those in attendance could pay their respects. Jackson-Madison County Schools provided grief counselors and private spaces at the venue for anyone in need of support.
Sparks asked everyone present to treat one another with kindness, noting that while teams compete on the track, they are one GreenpowerUSA family. The Jackson-Madison County Schools superintendent called the loss immeasurable.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol investigation remains active. No fault has been assigned. The identities of the two students who died have not been made public. Anyone with information is asked to contact the THP.
Counselors will be available at Kenwood Middle School starting Monday, March 30th. CMCSS will share ways for the community to support affected families as further details become available.
