WARREN, Texas — A Warren woman says she was in shock when she arrived a the scene of a horrific accident on Wednesday north of the town on U.S. 69.
"I was shocked really," Bee Wade said. "When I drove up I was like, is that really happening?"
RELATED: Woodville man killed in Tyler County church bus crash identified, several people hospitalized
DPS says the crash involved a church bus belonging to First Baptist Church of Warren with nine people on board. One of those passengers, James Craft Jr.,42, of Woodville, died because of his injuries.
The crash injured the other eight passengers, and temporarily left a 15-year-old in ICU. A friend tells 12News the teen will have a long road to recovery. The other two adults on board were hospitalized with serious injuries according to DPS.
The children on the bus were taken to hospitals but are expected to survive.
Wade says she witnessed the community pulling together to help when the deadly bus crash happened.
"Everyone was just pulling over and running up there," Wade said. "And you just really didn't know what to do."
The accident happened when the driver of the bus tried to avoid hitting a vehicle that pulled out in front of them.
The bus driver lost control and hit a tree.
This tight-knit community of Warren has suffered, but Wade believes with prayers, love and support, they will get through this together.
"We just hope everybody is okay, and for the ones that are not, I mean we are here praying for them," Wade said. "Trying to give them some support in anyway we can."