The Georgia State Patrol has identified the woman accused of driving drunk and crashing into a school bus full of Rome High School students on Thursday night. Jeyonna Underwood, 21, is now in the Polk County Jail, facing charges of DUI, failure to maintain lane, and DUI endangerment of a child under 14.
According to troopers, Underwood crossed the center line on Highway 101 near Doc Moates Rd. just before 11 p.m. and hit the bus. The bus was carrying Rome High School football players and coaches, who had just won a scrimmage against Rockmart High School. They were only about seven miles from the game when the crash occurred.
School Resource Officer Sterling Haney was driving behind the bus when the crash happened. “I can still see the kids, broken down and upset,” he said. Haney has known many of the students since they were young and was heartbroken to learn that the driver who caused the crash was allegedly driving drunk with a baby in the car.
Troopers arrested Underwood, and her family came to take the baby. Thirteen players, two coaches, and the bus driver were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Josh Sutherland, whose front yard the bus landed in, rushed to help. “I dropped everything and ran down there. Some kids were getting out, but the bus driver was still inside. I went through the window to get him out,” Sutherland said.
Rome City Schools thanked the bus driver, Nakita Strickland, on Friday for her quick thinking, which they said prevented the crash from being even worse.
Officer Haney, still shaken by the crash, went to work on Friday to be there for the students. “You can cry, you can tell me everything about it,” he said. “I think we’re going to come through this stronger, and the kids will lean on each other even more.”