Five injured in Albany accident involving daycare bus

ALBANY — Five people were hospitalized Wednesday following an accident involving a Childcare Network bus and two other vehicles.

Sgt. Shawn Urquhart with the Georgia State Patrol in Albany said the accident took place around 8 a.m. when the driver of the bus, 43-year-old Catherine Grace, was driving south on Walnut Avenue and was involved in a collision with the front of a white 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Michael Brown, 24, who was traveling east on Highland Avenue.

According to Urquhart, the impact of the collision propelled the bus against the front driver’s side of a 2006 Saturn driven by Quinnika Barkley, 21, who was stopped at a stop sign after traveling north Walnut Street. Brown’s vehicle also struck the Saturn, Urquhart said.

Immediately following the accident, Brown left his vehicle and fled the scene on foot, Urquhart said. According to Urquhart, Brown is a fugitive from the Albany Police Department, with active warrants including obstruction of law enforcement and probation violation.

In addition, Urquhart said Brown will face charges of failure to stop at a stop sign, leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a license in connection with incident on Wednesday.

Ziryah Hightower, 4, four, sustained a broken arm and a bump on the head, Urquhart said, and was transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital for treatment, as were two other children with minor injuries. The children were passengers on the bus.

Grace and Barkley were also transported to the hospital, though none of the injuries were considered life-threatening, Urquhart said.