DOVER, Tenn. (WTVF) — A school bus driver jumped into action with a fire extinguisher when he came up on a fatal crash involving a corrections officer.
Cody Upham has been a Stewart County school bus driver for more than a decade. He loves his retirement gig after being a cowboy stuntman for movies.
"When something is scripted it’s one thing, but when you come around a corner and you see two vehicles one of them on the side of the bank with a fire going underneath it, and a Sheriff's car parked across the lane, you just aren’t expecting it," Upham said.
Cody had several special needs students and a bus monitor in tow.
"There were cars on the other side that had stopped. I went around, drove up to get the kids out of harm’s way," Upham said.
A truck had collided with a Houston County Corrections officer, who was transporting an inmate in a squad car on Cumberland City Road at Elk Creek Road.
"I grabbed the fire extinguisher," Upham said.
The truck had caught fire with people who were trapped.
Upham had just received training on how to use the extinguisher.
"I got the fire out, and I was looking at the people in the vehicle, and it was really tough to say ya know? Nobody was in real good shape," Upham said. "I tried to talk to a couple of them. I tried to calm one person down."
A passenger in the truck didn't make it, and a medical chopper landed in a yard.
"Really scary," Upham said.
The corrections officer and inmate were hurt. "You could tell he was in shock he was just kinda mumbling on 'I’m OK,'" Upham said.
While it wasn't a perfect outcome, Cody's actions likely saved lives.
“The good Lord put me in that place at that time,” Upham said.
The deputy underwent surgery and is recovering according to the Houston County Sheriff.
We are waiting to hear more on the other people's conditions. The investigation into what happened is pending.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
