Douglas Byrd High School employee charged in bus crash

Leland police have charged a Douglas Byrd High School employee with reckless driving with wanton disregard and exceeding a safe speed.

2026-07-10

Authorities said Annette Blount was driving a Cumberland County Schools bus when it crashed Wednesday. Blount is an attendance clerk at Douglas Byrd High School.

The bus was returning from a seven-on-seven football scrimmage with 26 students and seven adults on board. Two children and two adults were injured, according to Leland police. Everyone on the bus was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

Investigators determined the bus was traveling on the exit ramp from northbound U.S. 17 to westbound U.S. 74 when it entered a curve at an excessive speed. The bus left the roadway and overturned, coming to rest partially in the road.