State troopers said the bus had amber warning lights flashing, but its red lights and stop arm had not activated.
MIDDLESEX, N.C. — A Southern Nash High School student died Tuesday after she was struck by a pickup truck while crossing Bryant Road toward a school bus that had stopped near her home, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
The crash happened shortly after 6 a.m. Nov. 3 on Bryant Road near Hoyt Road, south of Middlesex in Nash County. Authorities said the student had been waiting near a private drive when an eastbound school bus stopped to pick her up. The bus had its amber warning lights flashing, but its red lights and stop arm had not yet been activated, investigators said.
Troopers said the student entered the roadway and was struck by a westbound Chevrolet Silverado. The pickup driver stopped after the collision. The student was taken to a hospital, where she died later Tuesday morning. Authorities have not publicly identified her, and Nash County Public Schools has asked that the family’s privacy be respected.
The Highway Patrol said its investigation found that the student’s actions contributed to the crash. Investigators said they do not suspect that the pickup driver was impaired, and no charges are expected. The findings mean authorities do not believe the driver violated the law based on the evidence reviewed so far.
The timing of the bus’s warning system was a key part of the investigation. Amber lights are used before a school bus makes a stop, while the red warning lights and stop arm signal traffic to stop once the bus is loading or unloading students. Troopers said the red lights and stop arm had not been activated when the student entered the road.
The death has left Southern Nash High School mourning one of its students. Nash County Public Schools said a Traumatic Event Debriefing Team was sent to the school Tuesday and would remain available to students in the following days. District officials have not released the student’s name.
The school district also said the incident was a reminder of the importance of school bus safety. Its statement urged motorists to follow laws intended to protect students around buses. Authorities, however, said the circumstances of Tuesday’s crash occurred before the bus’s red lights and stop arm were activated.
The Highway Patrol has not announced any additional enforcement action in the case. As of Wednesday, investigators continued to classify the collision as a fatal pedestrian crash in which no criminal charges are expected.
Author note: Last updated Nov. 4, 2026.