Parent whose son was on field trip with fatal bus crash describes learning of the terrifying moments
Share and Follow

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A mom whose son was on one of the school buses that was traveling behind the one that crashed Thursday in Chester County, described the terrifying moments when her son told her about the fatal accident.

“You don’t send your child on a field trip and give him a hug and not expect him to come home,” said Tiffany Porterfield, a parent of an eighth-grader who was on the field trip to Charlotte Thursday.

  • New K-9 joins Polk County Sheriff’s Office after loss of beloved bloodhound

Porterfield can’t imagine the pain one family is suffering right now, losing their 13-year-old son in a school bus crash.

The Chester County Coroner identified the victim Friday as 13-year-old Jose Maria Gonzales Linares.

“It’s hard for an adult to wrap their mind around what happened, much less a child, they saw things yesterday that no child should ever have to see,” said Porterfield.

Students from Pine Ridge Middle School in West Columbia were on a bus coming back from the NASCAR Hall of Fame when officials say the bus blew a tire in Chester County, veered off I-77, crashing into a guardrail and tipping on its side.

Tiffany Porterfield’s son was on the field trip Thursday, but was riding a different bus.

“I had gotten a text message from my son saying the bus is flipped over, but we’re OK,” said Porterfield. “I immediately start trying to call him, several rings, he picks up and you can hear chaos in the background, lots of yelling lots of commotion going on.”

Porterfield rushed to meet her son in the Winnsboro area where the students who weren’t injured were taken.

“It was so good to see him, and I think it’s one of those things where you’re so grateful your child is OK, but your heart is hurting so much for the ones who are not,” said Porterfield.

  • Employee plants GPS tracker to catch pair of thieves on spree of copper spool thefts: deputies

Chester County Emergency Management says 38 patients were transported for treatment, three of whom taken by helicopter, and the rest by ground. Patients were taken to five different hospitals: Atrium Health CMC (Charlotte), Prisma Main (Greenville, S.C.), MUSC Northeast (Columbia, S.C.), Piedmont (Rock Hill, S.C.) and MUSC Chester.

There are signs around the school showing support and a grieving community trying to pull together.

“He’s going to go back to school in a week and one of his classmates is not going to be there anymore,” said Porterfield. “You just wrap your arms around your kids and tell them that you love them and you’re going to help them try and get through it as best you can.”

Porterfield hopes in the coming days the community and the Carolinas won’t forget about the families who are continuing to struggle through this tragedy.

Lexington School District Two has set up a way to donate to help the community of Pine Ridge Middle School here.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

First person arrested in the shooting incident at Oglethorpe Mall

SAVANNAH, Ga. () – The first suspect of Wednesday’s Oglethorpe Mall shooting…

“Exploring the Most Devastating Floods in the US from the Past 25 Years”

(AP) – Flooding has caused an average of more than 125 deaths…

Two people injured in shooting at Orange County apartment complex, leading to the arrival of a significant number of sheriff’s deputies

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A man and a woman were found shot…

Man shoots suspected intruder in his mother’s house, as reported by Osceola County deputies

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A man arrested on the Fourth of July…

Sheldon man arrested for possession of large quantity of LSD and other drugs in Livingston County.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — A Sheldon man was arrested in Chatsworth…

Paxton’s 41st Traditional Fourth of July Event

PAXTON, Ill. (WCIA) — More than 700 people were outside at Pells…

Hampton man agrees to plea deal after being accused of posting videos of child sexual abuse

CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A Hampton man previously accused of uploading…

Texas Flash Flood Devastation Highlights Urgent Need for Storm Safety Measures

(AP) – The monstrous, swift-moving flood that swept through the Hill Country of Texas…