“We Just Had to Get Them Out”: A Tennessee Father Describes Helping Pull Students from the Wrecked School Bus After the Deadly Collision on Highway 70 — Guiding Them Away from the Wreck While Others Remained Inside Waiting for Rescuers

The afternoon of Friday, March 27, 2026, began with anticipation for 25 eighth-grade students and five adults from Kenwood Middle School in Clarksville, Tennessee. They were traveling on a yellow school bus to the Toyota Hub City Grand Prix Greenpower USA Race in Jackson, where they would showcase an electric car they had designed and built together throughout the school year. It was meant to be a highlight of their STEM education—a day of excitement, competition, and pride.

Tragedy struck around noon on Highway 70 near Cedar Grove in Carroll County. The bus drifted across the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) dump truck before striking a Chevrolet Trailblazer. The impact forced the bus off the road, leaving it tilted precariously against an embankment amid twisted metal, shattered glass, and scattered debris. Two students—eighth-graders Zoe Davis and Arianna Pearson—were pronounced dead at the scene. Dozens of others were injured, several critically, with multiple children airlifted to trauma centers in Nashville and Memphis.

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Xaviel Lugo and his wife Rosalee were following closely behind the bus in their own vehicle, accompanied by their daughter Xelani (Lani or Laney), one of the students on board. The family wanted to share in the day’s celebrations. Dashcam footage from their car captured the horrifying sequence: the bus crossing the center line, the violent impact, and the resulting chaos.

In the immediate aftermath, Xaviel described swerving to avoid flying debris and quickly parking. “My wife and I jumped out the car. She went straight for the bus, and I was calling 911 to get emergency services out as quickly as possible,” he recounted. Before professional rescuers arrived, the couple climbed into the damaged bus to help extract the children. Their actions, alongside an injured teacher and some students, proved critical in those first chaotic minutes.

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2 students killed in crash involving Montgomery County school bus heading to field trip, officials say

“We just had to get them out,” Xaviel later emphasized, reflecting the urgent priority that overrode everything else—including the natural instinct to first locate their own daughter. The interior of the bus presented a harrowing scene. Some students cried out in pain and fear, their screams echoing through the cabin. Others sat in stunned silence, shocked by the sudden violence and the sight of injured classmates. Blood was visible on seats and floors. The force of the collision had thrown passengers across rows, leaving some slumped or piled against damaged sections.

Xaviel and Rosalee worked feverishly to guide children toward exits and openings. They pulled students free and directed them away from the wreckage to safer ground along the roadside. One young boy named Wesley stood out for his composure: as soon as he was extracted, he immediately began helping his classmates without needing instruction—an act of quiet maturity amid the disorder.

An injured teacher, identified as Mr. Winn, remained inside the bus despite his own serious wounds. Bleeding and with impaired vision, he refused to leave until every child was accounted for. “He was bleeding and he could hardly see,” Xaviel recalled. “He said he couldn’t see very much, but he was like, ‘Get the kids, get the kids.’” The teacher’s selflessness complemented the parents’ efforts, creating an improvised rescue operation in the critical window before first responders arrived.

Lani Lugo, seated near the back, described the terrifying moment of impact: her head against the window, eyes closed, then the bus lurching downward as the left side crumpled inward. Students from the front were thrown backward. Panic ensued with shouts for calm mixing with cries and screams. Some children attempted to climb out through broken windows or other gaps, while others waited inside, disoriented and awaiting help.

When the rear emergency door was finally forced open, Xaviel reached his daughter. He pulled Lani into his arms in a brief moment of parental relief before continuing to assist others. Lani suffered head injuries and was among those requiring airlift transport. She later spoke of the surreal scene outside: sirens, people crying on the ground, and the devastating realization that two classmates had not survived.

Highway 70 came to a complete halt as traffic backed up in both directions. Onlookers stopped their vehicles, some offering assistance while others watched in stunned silence as emergency lights flashed and air medical helicopters landed nearby. The rural stretch of road transformed into a coordinated rescue site, with first responders triaging the injured and working to stabilize victims.

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The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) swiftly notified families and issued statements expressing profound grief. Counselors were deployed to support students and staff. A candlelight vigil was held at Kenwood Middle School on Saturday, March 28, drawing hundreds of classmates, teachers, parents, and community members who gathered with flowers, candles, and tears to honor Zoe and Arianna. Emotional tributes highlighted the girls as bright, positive, and enthusiastic participants in the STEM project that defined their final school trip.

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GoFundMe campaigns were rapidly established to support the families of the deceased, generating an outpouring of donations and messages of solidarity from across Tennessee and beyond.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol leads the ongoing investigation into the cause of the crash, examining factors such as why the bus crossed into oncoming traffic, road conditions, vehicle maintenance, driver actions, and broader field trip safety protocols. Preliminary reports have not pointed to an obvious medical emergency for the driver, but a full determination may take weeks.

For the Lugo family, the day that began with joy ended in trauma that will linger. Their instinctive decision to act—climbing into the wrecked bus, pulling students free, and guiding them to safety—likely saved lives and prevented even greater tragedy. Xaviel’s simple yet powerful words, “We just had to get them out,” capture the raw urgency and humanity that emerged in those moments when seconds mattered most.

The electric car project that Zoe, Arianna, and their classmates poured their energy into now carries deeper significance: a symbol of youthful innovation, teamwork, and the resilience the Kenwood community must now summon. Kenwood Middle School, recognized for its STEM focus, faces the painful task of healing while remembering two vibrant young lives taken too soon.

In the days following the crash, the Montgomery County community has shown remarkable unity. Vigils featured shared stories, embraces, and quiet reflections. Survivors and families navigate a mix of physical recovery and emotional wounds. Questions about prevention and improved school transportation safety have surfaced, prompting calls for review of protocols on field trips involving children.

This tragedy on Highway 70 underscores life’s fragility and the extraordinary courage that ordinary people—parents, teachers, and even students—can display in crisis. While some children were guided away from the wreck by civilian rescuers, others waited inside for professional help, highlighting both vulnerability and the coordinated response that followed.

As investigations continue and healing progresses, support for the affected families remains vital. GoFundMe efforts for Zoe Davis and Arianna Pearson’s loved ones provide direct ways for the public to contribute. The Clarksville area continues to rally, mourning the loss while honoring the bravery that shone through the chaos.

Authorities encourage anyone with additional information about the crash to contact the Tennessee Highway Patrol. For the Kenwood Middle School community and all touched by this event, the road ahead involves remembrance, recovery, and a renewed commitment to protecting the journeys of young learners.