The fears of a lot of people were eased when it was found out that the bus involved in the accident at the intersection of Myrtle Drive and Highway 145 did not involve school children. It was formerly a school bus.

The bus driver, who was trapped for nearly an hour, was one of the two people taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.

"I just know that the bus driver made it out alive and we're happy he made it out alive. They got him out as quick as they could and we appreciate that," said one bystander.

Twelve people were on the bus when it ran into the back of a tractor-trailer that was in the turn lane.

"An 18-wheel truck was stopped here in the roadway, waiting to turn to go to his warehouse," said Assistant Police Chief Tommy Miller of the Meridian Police Department. "The bus, loaded with oil field employees coming down the hill, struck the back of the truck and then went off in the gulley here."

It's still early in the investigation and while it is known what happened, it isn't clear why.

"Where the bus came from, I don't know. I think what he must've done is when he came over that hill, he seen all them cars and I don't know. He had to drop over in the wrong lane and he hit me," said the driver of the 18-wheeler. "If he hadn't hit me, he'd probably hit somebody head-on right there."

It was well over an hour before Highway 145 was reopened to traffic as the bus was pulled back on the roadway.