A South Panola School bus was struck from behind just after 7:15 a.m. Wednesday on Highway 15 near Highway 6 in Panola County, Mississippi. The driver of the striking vehicle, 17-year-old Katelyn Ray, was fatally injured. Ray had only received her driver’s license two months earlier and was en route to pick up her older sister from work.

Moments before the crash, Ray spoke with her mother, Shelia, in a brief, loving farewell. When she failed to arrive by 7:30 a.m., her family’s concern grew. Ray’s sister Courtney Pettit turned to social media, posting a plea for any information about her missing sibling.

Shortly thereafter, the Mississippi Highway Patrol confirmed Ray’s involvement in a collision with the rear of the school bus. As investigators comb the scene for details—including what Ray may have been holding at impact—the family and wider community grapple with the shock and sudden loss.

Friends and relatives remember Katelyn as energetic and proud—she was studying for her GED at the WIN Job Center and delighted in being an aunt. Panola County remains in mourning as the Highway Patrol continues its inquiry into the circumstances that led to this tragic accident.