Troopers: 26 injured after truck rear-ends bus carrying migrant workers

Twenty-six people were injured after a tractor-trailer rear-ended a bus carrying migrant workers on U.S. Highway 64 near Tarboro on Monday morning, according to the state Highway Patrol.

Posted 12:31 p.m. Sep 21, 2015 — Updated 6:32 p.m. Sep 21, 2015

TARBORO, N.C. — Twenty-six people were injured after a tractor-trailer rear-ended a bus carrying migrant workers on U.S. Highway 64 near Tarboro on Monday morning, according to the state Highway Patrol.

Two of the people suffered serious injuries and were flown to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. The other 24 were taken to hospitals with various injuries. The crash happened around 6 a.m.

Troopers say the flatbed tractor-trailer was traveling east near exit 484 in Nash County when it crashed into the rear of the bus, causing the bus to overturn and land in the left lane of the highway.

The tractor-trailer then veered onto the right shoulder, went down an embankment and came to rest along a wood line.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Aaron Nissim Moore, 31, of McLeansville, was charged with failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision. Investigators said they believe he was driving 60 to 65 miles per hour and the bus was going about 45 mph when the crash happened.

The driver of the bus, Manuel Rodrigues, 29, of Nashville, will be charged with failing to have a Class B driver’s license, which is required when transporting 16 or more passengers, according to troopers.

The N.C. Department of Transportation and the State Highway Patrol were in the process of clearing the roadway. Eastbound lanes of U.S. 64 were expected to reopen by noon Monday.

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