A Dothan man is dead and seven Opp students were taken by ambulance to hospital after bus was involved in an accident this morning.

According to Opp Police Chief Mike McDonald, patrol and fire units responded to the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 84 West and Substation Road around 7:11 a.m.

“A 2006 Opp City Board of Education school bus had just loaded students at the intersection and was located on the eastbound side of Hwy. 84 West when a 2004 Mercedes struck the rear of the school bus,” he said. “The children that were on the bus were evacuated from the bus and seven of the children that complained of having pain were transported to Mizell Memorial Hospital emergency room by local ground ambulances for non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the Mercedes, a 40-year-old male, died at the scene of the accident as a result of injuries, McDonald said.

Hwy. 84 Eastbound was shutdown for about two hours for cleanup and investigation, but is back open.

The Covington County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Opp Police Department with traffic control.

The investigation of this crash continues by the OPD and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency traffic homicide unit.