Sterlington Woman Killed in Claiborne Parish Crash After SUV Strikes School Bus Carrying Students on Louisiana Highway 2 Friday Afternoon

CLAIBORNE PARISH, LA — A 35-year-old Sterlington woman died Friday afternoon after the SUV she was driving hit the back of a school bus in Claiborne Parish, according to Louisiana State Police.

The crash happened around 4 p.m. on Louisiana Highway 2 near Bella Vista Road. State police said the Toyota Highlander was traveling east when it struck a school bus also headed east.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The bus driver and the students aboard were not injured.

State police say the Toyota struck the bus from behind

Investigators identified the SUV as a 2023 Toyota Highlander. Louisiana State Police said it was moving in the same direction as the bus when the impact occurred.

The agency has not released additional details about the moments leading up to the collision. It also has not said how many students were on the bus.

For now, the key confirmed facts are limited to the vehicles involved, the time of the crash, and the fatal outcome for the driver of the SUV.

Students and bus driver were not injured in the collision

Although the crash involved a school bus carrying students, no one on the bus was hurt, Louisiana State Police said. That includes the driver and the students riding aboard at the time.

The absence of injuries on the bus stands in contrast to the deadly impact on the SUV driver. Officials did not say whether the bus sustained major damage or had to be taken out of service.

School transportation incidents often trigger concern because children are involved, but in this case authorities said the passengers were unharmed.

Impairment is not suspected, but toxicology samples were taken

State police said impairment is not suspected as a factor in the crash. Even so, investigators collected routine toxicology samples for testing, which is standard in serious wrecks.

Those samples will be reviewed as part of the broader investigation into what happened on Highway 2. Police did not identify any other possible contributing factors.

The investigation remains active, and officials have not announced whether weather, speed, road conditions, or distraction played any role.

Crash scene was on Louisiana Highway 2 near Bella Vista Road

The wreck happened near Bella Vista Road along Louisiana Highway 2, a stretch in Claiborne Parish where traffic includes local drivers and, at times, school transportation. Louisiana State Police said the collision occurred in the late afternoon.

The location matters because it places the crash on a state highway rather than a neighborhood street or interstate. That can affect traffic flow, response times, and the type of vehicles moving through the area.

Officials did not provide a detailed traffic impact report, but the timing suggests the crash occurred during a period when roads can be busy with afternoon travel.

Investigation continues as authorities piece together what caused the fatal wreck

Louisiana State Police said the cause of the crash remains under investigation. At this stage, the agency has released only basic details about the vehicles, the location, and the people involved.

That means key questions are still open, including why the Toyota struck the bus and whether anything in the driver’s path changed before impact. Police have not said whether citations or additional findings are expected.

For the family of the woman killed, the crash turned an ordinary Friday drive into a fatal collision. For the school bus passengers, it ended without injury, but with an investigation still underway.