Two Students Killed in Kenwood Middle School Bus Crash

Dash cam footage shows bus drifting over center line, colliding with TDOT truck

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:43am

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An extreme close-up photograph of shattered glass from the school bus, capturing the stark, gritty details of the aftermath in a conceptual illustration of the tragic incident.The aftermath of the Kenwood Middle School bus crash exposes the harsh realities of a tragic incident that has shaken the local community.Huntingdon Today

A Kenwood Middle School bus carrying 29 people, including 24 students, 4 teachers, and the driver, was involved in a head-on collision with a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) truck on Friday. Two students, Arianna Pearson and Zoe Davis, were killed in the crash, which occurred just outside of Huntingdon, Tennessee. Several other students and adults were injured and transported to area hospitals.

Why it matters

The tragic bus crash has devastated the Kenwood Middle School community and raised questions about school transportation safety protocols and oversight. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash, which was captured on dash cam footage showing the bus drifting over the center line before the collision.

The details

According to reports, the bus was traveling to a STEM-based competition in Jackson, Tennessee when the crash occurred on Highway 70 in Carroll County around 12 p.m. on Friday. The crash involved the Kenwood Middle School bus, the TDOT truck, and a 2024 Chevy Trailblazer. The Tennessee Highway Patrol's Critical Incident Response Team and Pupil Transportation Division are investigating the incident, and the NTSB has also initiated a safety investigation.

  • The crash happened just outside of Huntingdon, Tennessee on Highway 70 in Carroll County around 12 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2026.
  • On Sunday, Arianna Pearson's soccer team held a moment of silence to honor her.
  • As of Monday evening, three of the four students brought to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital have been discharged, while one remains hospitalized but is in stable condition.

The players

Arianna Pearson

One of the two students killed in the Kenwood Middle School bus crash.

Zoe Davis

One of the two students killed in the Kenwood Middle School bus crash.

Bryson Raigan

A Kenwood Middle School student who was on the bus and suffered a broken leg and pelvis in the crash.

Tennessee Highway Patrol

The law enforcement agency investigating the cause of the Kenwood Middle School bus crash.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

The federal agency that has initiated a safety investigation into the Kenwood Middle School bus crash in coordination with the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

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What they’re saying

“When it all happened, I was actually very calm. I remember trying to look for everybody else before I started checking on myself.”

— Bryson Raigan, Kenwood Middle School student

“Zoe was quiet and liked drawing. She had her own book of drawings.”

— Bryson Raigan, Kenwood Middle School student

“Arianna was the kind of popular girl. I remember always looking up to her.”

— Bryson Raigan, Kenwood Middle School student

“I keep on asking myself, why did this happen? Why did it have to be them?”

— Bryson Raigan, Kenwood Middle School student

“Nobody deserves to end up that way, and I feel like everybody needs the support that they can give right now.”

— Kenwood Middle School student

What’s next

The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the NTSB are continuing their investigations to determine the cause of the Kenwood Middle School bus crash. The NTSB investigation will examine school bus driver performance, student passenger occupant protection, and the oversight of school transportation operations.

The takeaway

This tragic bus crash has devastated the Kenwood Middle School community and raised urgent questions about the safety of school transportation. As the investigations unfold, the focus must remain on supporting the affected students, families, and staff, while also ensuring that necessary measures are taken to prevent such devastating incidents in the future.