PBPD updates condition of officer following crash with school bus

UPDATE 12:30 P.M.

The Pine Bluff Police Department has released the following information about the accident:

As we posted earlier, one of our Officers was involved in a serious traffic collision this morning. The last report received is that he is stable and responsive to medical personnel. The driver of the other vehicle is doing fine with minor injuries.

The outcome of this collision could have been worse if it was not for the reactions of several citizens who assisted immediately after the wreck. The Officer's vehicle caught fire after the wreck and the Officer was pinned in the vehicle. One man stopped and used a fire extinguisher he had in his truck to put out the fire. This may have saved the Officer's life. Several other citizens cut away the air bags so the officer could breathe and provided encouragement until emergency personnel arrived on the scene.

We thank all of you who stopped to help the Officer and quite possibly saved his life.

We would like to know who the person was who stopped and put out the fire. He left before anyone got his name. We owe him a debt of gratitude .......... and a new fire extinguisher.

If you are that Samaritan, please call us at 870-730-2080. If you know who he is, please ask him to call us.

UPDATE 10:10 A.M: The Pine Bluff School District released the following statement about the crash:

On Monday morning, August 26, 2024, at approximately 8:15 am, a Pine Bluff School District school bus was waiting at a stop light on Dollarway Road. While waiting at the light, another vehicle struck the bus from behind. No students were on the bus. The bus driver was transported to the hospital for precautionary measures.

ORIGINAL STORY:

On Monday morning at approximately 8:08 a.m. a Pine Bluff Police Officer was involved in a collision with a school bus on Dollarway Road near Phyllis Street.

The school bus was not occupied by students at the time of the collision, however, the driver was taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center for assessment.

The PBPD Officer was transported to JRMC and is currently listed in critical condition.

The roads are currently blocked due to the collision, so alternate routes should be taken until further notice.

Updates on the condition of the officer will be provided as they are made available.