Horrific Church Bus Crash Kills 8 in Tennessee

Teresa Neumann : Oct 3, 2013
Doug Stanglin – USA Today

"We're all shaken. As bad as it is, they're all Christians and I know where they're at. I'll join them later." -George Stadfield

(Knoxville, TN)—Eight people are confirmed dead in a "horrific" church bus crash on Interstate 40 yesterday, after a front tire blew and hurled the bus across the median into an oncoming van and 18-wheeler truck. (Photo: Paul Efird, Knoxville News Sentinel, via AP)

The semi, which was carrying a load of paper products, was burned beyond recognition.

Reports say the bus was carrying 18 elderly members of Front Street Baptist Church in Statesville, NC, who were returning home for the 17th annual Fall Jubilee in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

The dead include 6 bus passengers, three people in the van and the driver of the truck.

"We are devastated," said Dionne Stutts, wife of church pastor Tim Stutts, "and just ask for the people to be praying."

Said church member George Stadfield, "We're all shaken. As bad as it is, they're all Christians and I know where they're at. I'll join them later."