Update (January 9, 2026): Authorities have identified the driver killed in this accident as Philip Williams, 63, of Yazoo City.

Bentonia, MS — January 8, 2026, one person was killed in a school bus accident just after 3 p.m. on U.S. Highway 49.

Authorities said a northbound GMC Canyon collided with a westbound school bus that was crossing the highway on Wilson Street/State Highway 433, causing the pickup to roll several times.

The GMC driver, whose name has not been made public yet, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

There were two students on the bus at the time of the crash, but they were not injured, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Yazoo County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When most people read about a crash involving a school bus and another vehicle, one question tends to rise to the top: How could something like this happen? That’s especially true here, where the available details raise more questions than they answer.

At the moment, we know that a GMC Canyon collided with a school bus as it crossed U.S. Highway 49. What we don’t know, and what matters greatly, is who had the right of way. Was the bus crossing from a stop sign? Was the pickup speeding? Did either driver fail to yield? Each of these questions points to very different kinds of responsibility, but the current reports don’t say.

Another key unknown is whether the school bus was stopped at a sign or light before entering the highway. Depending on how the intersection is controlled, a bus driver's decision to cross could have been either reasonable or reckless. Similarly, depending on whether the pickup driver was traveling at a lawful speed or distracted, or even tried to brake, we may be looking at different fault scenarios entirely. Without that information, it's impossible to know where the blame might fall.

That's why the next step in any thorough investigation should be to gather and preserve every piece of evidence that might clarify the sequence of events. Did the bus have a dash cam, as many school buses now do? Does the GMC Canyon have an engine control module that could show speed, braking or steering in the moments before the crash? Cell phone records, surveillance footage from nearby businesses and intersection sight lines all help answer the question of who made what decision, and whether it was safe.

I’ve been involved in cases where these sorts of crashes came down to a single second’s difference: a moment of hesitation, or a quick glance at a phone. And I’ve also handled cases where poor intersection design or obstructed views made crashes almost inevitable. The point is, it’s too soon to assume anything, and far too soon to pin blame based solely on who survived.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s still unclear who had the right of way in this crash, which is key to understanding legal responsibility.
• Investigators should secure dash cam footage, ECM data and cell phone records to determine the drivers’ actions.
• Sight lines and intersection control (signs or lights) at Wilson Street and Highway 49 are crucial factors.
• A full investigation may reveal whether driver error, road design or other issues contributed to the crash.
• Early assumptions about fault are premature without clear evidence from both vehicles and the scene.