Gospel Group Tour Bus Collides With Semi Truck

UPDATED and Bumped:

As a quartet guy who used to own and drive the group's tour bus I can tell you these stories give me the shakes:

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - At least 13 people were injured when a gospel group's tour bus collided with a semi-truck on Interstate 85 on a bridge over the Catawba River just before 5 p.m. Thursday.

The wreck happened near the Gaston County line on the bridge and hurt more than a dozen e -- including three people from a Nashville gospel group. The front of a tour bus apparently hit the rear of a Smithfield tractor trailer, causing the truck to jackknife and block all northbound lanes on the bridge.

The front of the tour bus appeared to be destroyed, while the rear of the truck's trailer was pushed in several feet and was also heavily damaged.

At the wreck scene, southbound lanes do not appear to be blocked, but motorists are creeping through the area causing serious traffic back-ups on both sides of the interstate.

The bus involved in the wreck is a tour bus for the Bowling Family gospel trio.

According to Beckie Simmons, the group's agent, all three members Mike Bowling, Kelly Bowling and alto Terah Crabb Penhollow were on the bus and were injured in the crash.

Simmons told WBTV that Mike Bowling was airlifted to the hospital after the crash. Simmons says Penhollow has a broken arm from the crash, but she didn't know the extent of Kelly Bowling's injuries.

WBTV was told one of the couple's three children, Kaitlin, was on the bus with the group.

The Bowling Family gospel trio, from Nashville, was on their way to a concert at the City of Lights/INSP in Indian Land, South Carolina.

I hope everybody's okay, but I'm hearing that Mike Bowling who was flown out of the crash site is very critical.  He was probably driving the bus when the accident occurred.

In May of 2008 gospel music legend Dottie Rambo was killed in a tour bus crash.

UPDATE:  From Southern Gospel Music on Facebook:

Latest update from Jason Crabb: Everyone is responsive. There are injuries but none to be life threatening at this point..

That's good news.

UPDATE from Joy Christian Radio:

The Bowling Family, as reported earlier this evening, was involved in a serious bus crash in North Carolina. There are injuries in this horrible accident.
This updated report has just come in to the Joy Christian Radio newsroom, courtesy of Chuck Peters of www.sogospelnews.com:

Chuck Peters July 1 at 9:37pm
BOWLING FAMILY BUS CRASH - UPDATE
The latest report from family members says Mike Bowling and six year old daughter, Katelanne.. appear to have sustained the most serious injuries as a result of a bus crash earlier today near Charlotte, NC. Reports say they were on the side of the bus that took the brunt of the impact,.. and were thrown forward. Family member Brian Lawing told our reporter: "Mike has a skull fracture, broken wrist, and lacerations. Kelly has a broken or crushed vertebrae and possible broken ankle. Katelanne's collar bone is broken in two places and she has a deep laceration on her face. The piano player has a broken ankle. The rest of the family/band/crew are all okay. Shaken up and bruised but praise God they are okay." Mike and Katelanne were airlifted to a nearby medical facility,.. the others were transported by ambulance to the same hospital. All involved are expected to make a complete recovery.

Police officers working the accident scene released a statement tonight saying: "A tractor trailer was stopped in traffic in the northbound lane of I-85 when the tour bus -- also traveling north -- hit the tractor trailer in the rear. The tractor trailer then hit a box truck in front of it." The Bowling Family was enroute to a concert appearance in Indian Land, South Carolina.

Joy Christian Radio is encouraging all of our friends to join us in earnest prayer for the Bowling family during this time.

Updates will be forthcoming as we get them.

Blessings,
Ed Smith
Joy Christian Radio

UPDATE 9:00 AM EDT July 2, from the Singing News:

UPDATE: 9 a.m. EST: Kathy Hannah has told Singing News and the Solid Gospel Network that "it was a rough night for all involved. Mike and Kelly are dealing with intense pain. Currently, a surgeon is meeting with Kelly to discuss her condition and possible actions. Mike is undergoing additional scans for an update on the hemorrhage that he has suffered."

Kathy will be providing additional information as soon as it is reasonably possible. She also states that your continued prayers are being felt and they are deeply appreciated.

UPDATE: 2pm PDT from Jason Crabb:

Mike and Kelly are being released to go home tomorrow.
No surgery for Kelly, body cast for 3 months. Mike is improving and has a long road ahead.
Katelanne is feeling much better got cleaned up and is now coloring.
Terah, Hope, Gracie, Chris, Spencer and Melissa are a lil banged up but feeling good.