News Sentinel staff

A 45-year-old Knoxville woman was killed Thursday when her SUV collided with a school bus in Loudon County.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said Cynthia R. Montooth was the driver of a 2004 Nissan Exterra that veered across the centerline on U.S. Highway 11 (Lee Highway) at Calloway Road about 7:28 a.m.

Moontooth was southbound when her SUV struck the school bus head-on. The driver of the 2000 Thomas bus, Larry D. Harbin, 54, of Loudon, attempted to avoid the collision, according to Trooper Alexander Evans' report.

It couldn't be determined if Montooth was wearing a safety belt, but it wouldn't have made a difference, Evans wrote.

Harbin was not wearing a safety belt, which would have made a difference, Evans wrote.

Routine drug and alcohol tests were requested for Montooth and Harbin, according to Evans' report.

Three Loudon High School students riding on the bus were listed as injured: Jacee Brooke, 15, of Sweetwater; Destiny Willis, 15, of Loudon; and Macalya Quitt, 15, of Loudon.

The bus was carrying 10 students, and seven others were listed as uninjured. All were between 14 and 17 years old.

Harbin also was injured, according to Loudon County Schools Director Jason Vance, and was taken to Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville for treatment.

Fort Loudoun Middle School teacher Tony Rutherford was following Bus 8 when the collision occurred, according to Vance.

"He evacuated students out of the back of the bus and did a phenomenal job taking care of our kids and making sure the situation was what it needed to be," Vance said.

Lee Highway was closed for hours while THP investigated the wreck.