After school hours on Thursday afternoon, a Washington Parish school bus was involved in an accident on Highway 25 north of Franklinton, according to Chief Deputy Mike Haley of the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Haley said that the bus had reportedly stopped on Highway 25 to offload students on their way home from school in Franklinton, when a pickup truck slammed into the rear of the bus. The driver of the truck was the only occupant.

The driver of the truck was transported by ambulance to Riverside Medical Center in Franklinton and airlifted from there to North Oaks Hospital in Hammond, Haley said.

Several students and the bus driver reported minor injuries and were assessed by Northshore Emergency Services ambulance personnel on the scene. Haley said that one student was transported by ambulance to Riverside Medical Center, and a few more were transported by parents.

Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies responded to the scene along with troopers from the Louisiana State Police. Washington Parish Fire District personnel assisted with traffic control.

Sheriff Randy Seal commented on Thursday’s crash.

“All of the details of the crash will be sorted out by the State Police who are actively working the scene,” Seal said. “Meanwhile, we offer our comfort to the truck driver and his family as well as to the students and their families. It is always frightening to learn that a school bus was involved in an accident and we are grateful that no students were seriously injured.”