LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — A Lancaster County school bus driver is recovering at home after a serious crash left her with broken bones, bruises, and a concussion.
Judy Carter was involved in a crash on Wednesday night when a vehicle crossed over the center lane and struck her bus, according to the Lancaster County School District. Carter was then hit by another car before the school bus went tumbling 30 feet into a wooded area off Harrisburg Road.
Carter had finished her routes for the day, so there were no children on the bus. She believes a higher power was watching over her.
“My husband, he’s dead now, but he was with me," said Carter. "He was with me. The good Lord was with me because if I’d had passed that tree, there was a pond down there and they said the bus would have been underwater.”
Since the accident, there has been an outpouring of support for her. Parents say Carter is a beloved member of the community who takes care of children like her own, often giving them gifts and treats.
“To meet her is to love her and it was just tragic when we found that the accident had occurred," said Indian Land parent Sarah Sulhan. "We were incredibly grateful that she wasn’t injured further.”
“I take care of [the kids]. The parents put them on there with me. They expect them back home, and I’m going to get them home," said Carter. "One way or the other, I’m going to get them home and it’s not going to be hurt.”
Carter has been driving for the school district on and off for a decade. Before her husband died, he himself was a school bus driver for 27 years.
Carter said she is overwhelmed by the support she has received from parents, who have started a fundraiser on GoFundMe and a meal train for carter. As of Friday night, the GoFundMe had raised more than $7,000.
“I’m shocked because to me they’re my kids," said Carter, "and I didn’t realize that the parents loved me and thought as much of me as they do."
Carter faces a long road to recovery, but she said she will return to a job she loves as soon as she is able. She hopes her story will be a warning to other drivers to be careful around school buses.
The school district said the driver of the other car was cited for crossing the center line.
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.