‘He will be greatly missed’: Mullins High School employee killed in head-on collision with school bus

MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - An employee at Mullins High School was killed late Thursday morning in a head-on collision with a Marion County school bus, according to the coroner.

Marion County Coroner Jerry Richardson said the crash happened on Marion Street in Mullins shortly after 10 a.m.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol said the school bus was heading east on Marion Street, while the SUV was heading west and the two collided head-on. After the crash, the school bus went off to the right and hit a ditch and a fence, troopers said.

The driver of the SUV, Edward Alston, was pronounced dead on the scene.

Alston worked as a food service operator at Mullins High School, a position he held for eight years. He briefly left work and was returning when the accident occurred.

The district said Alston “was a valued employee and will be greatly missed by his Mullins High School family and the entire school district.”

Richardson said others were taken to MUSC in Marion after the crash. Marion County School District says no children were on the bus at the time of the accident, releasing the statement below.

“The Marion County School District family is deeply saddened to share the passing of an employee today, December 8, 2022, due to an incident. A district bus was involved. There were no students on the bus at the time of the incident. The details of the incident are still under investigation. The thoughts and prayers of the entire district are with the employee’s family and friends at this time.”

Troopers said the driver of the school bus was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Richardson said Alston’s body will be sent to Charleston for the autopsy.

The crash remains under investigation.