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Published: April 27, 2026
MCCRACKEN COUNTY, Ky. — A black passenger car slammed into the back of a school bus as children were being dropped off in McCracken County, and the driver is now facing a reckless driving citation, authorities said.
The bus had stopped in the 3300 block of Olivet Church Road to let children off. Investigators say the bus’s safety systems were all in use, including the flashing red lights, the stop arm and the stop signs. That’s when a car driven by Leroy Smith, 48, of Kevil, hit the rear of the bus.
Sheriff Ryan Norman confirmed 27 students were on board. One child was treated for minor injuries. Smith was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, though his injuries were described as non-incapacitating. Deputies later cited him for reckless driving.
The school bus was southbound when it stopped to unload students. The safety equipment on the bus was working before and during the impact. Authorities did not say whether the car attempted to stop before the collision, but the crash happened at the rear of the bus, an area that is part of the “danger zone” around school buses.
Aside from the driver and the students, no other people were involved. The bus sustained visible rear-end damage, but no one aboard was seriously hurt. Emergency crews evaluated children at the scene, and one received medical attention for minor injuries.
Kentucky law requires drivers on the same road as a school bus to come to a complete stop when the bus displays flashing red lights and extends its stop arm. That rule applies on two-lane roads and multi-lane roads without a raised median. The driver may only proceed when the bus’s lights are off and the arm is retracted.
Violations can carry fines and court costs, and a crash that follows a failure to stop can lead to additional charges like reckless driving. The ticket issued to Smith was for exactly that, according to the sheriff’s office.
Most school bus incidents happen in the area immediately around the bus, not inside it. National safety experts describe the zones beside and in front of the bus as especially dangerous because children may not be visible to oncoming traffic. When a driver ignores warning lights, students are exposed to moving vehicles with no physical barrier.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers school buses one of the safest ways for students to travel to school, but that safety depends on drivers stopping. Every year, school districts across Kentucky conduct stop-arm surveys; those one-day checks regularly record hundreds of drivers who illegally pass stopped buses throughout the state.
The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office is still gathering information for its crash report. No other charges beyond reckless driving have been announced. Smith’s condition is not known, but his injuries were not considered serious at the time of the crash.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately say whether bus surveillance video or other records could become part of the case. The school district has not publicly addressed the crash. Future announcements could include updated charges or bus safety reminders for the community.
This crash took place on a rural road where school bus stops are common. Authorities remind drivers to slow down and stay alert in those areas, especially during morning and afternoon pick-up times. They also urge parents to talk with children about waiting away from the road and staying alert when boarding or leaving the bus.
