Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

AIKEN CTY., S.C. -- An Aiken County road is back open after being blocked by a live wire Thursday morning.

The wire was knocked down by a school bus, but the three students on board the bus were safely evacuated.

Deputies say the live wire was pulled down around 6 a.m. Thursday morning near Carmel Street and Pineview Avenue off of Highway 25. This is near the Belvedere State Farm Office of Joan Kight.

Deputies say Joseph Herrin's Mercury first struck a power pole on Pineview Avenue around 1 a.m., bringing the wires to a low hanging level. The school bus driver says they were unable to see the wires in the dark and hit them, bringing them down to the ground.

Herrin is being being charged with DUI.

We have learned the bus was driving on route number 23. The number on the back of the bus is 507-0721.

We're told two of the students on the bus were on their way to LBC Middle School, one was being transported to Jefferson Elementary.

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