School bus accident kills one in Dallas County

PLANTERSVILLE, Ala.—A head-on crash between a Dallas County school bus and a pickup truck has left one person dead.

Authorities said the wreck occurred Wednesday afternoon on Alabama Highway 22, about two miles south of the Chilton County line.

The driver of the pickup truck, Dallas County High School senior Zach Cozadd, was pronounced dead at the scene after he apparently tried to pass another car heading north.

Dallas County Schools administrative assistant Don Willingham said no one aboard the school bus for special needs students was seriously injured.

Another driver who stopped for the accident, 58-year-old Cleveland Thomas, said the pickup truck caught fire, but he used his fire extinguisher to put out the fire.