A Buckeye, Arizona school bus on its way to a volleyball game at Bullhead City’s Mohave High School was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer on California Interstate 95.
The bus was stopped in a construction zone when the tractor-trailer came in contact with the rear of the bus, just a little after noon on Thursday.
We’re seeing our first photos of school bus crash in CA that left 5 students from Buckeye hurt. Photos: ZachNews https://t.co/on2y757Gd9 pic.twitter.com/yQIVS4FY64
— azfamily 3TV CBS 5 (@azfamily) September 28, 2017
California Highway Patrol reported that the school bus was transporting 33 people. The bus was stopped just south of 5-Mile Road.
The bus was struck by a tractor-trailer from behind and pushed into a different tractor-trailer in front of them.
Crystal Dorry, parent of a freshman volleyball player who was on the bus, said she got the call about the crash at work about 1 p.m. Right away, she left work and rushed to the scene of the accident.
“I’m obviously going for my daughter, but I’m more going for the girls whose parents couldn’t leave work to reach them,” Dorry said over the phone.
“I’m frustrated and nervous,” Dorry told AZ Central. “I understand driving big rigs is not the easiest job, but a lot of these (truck) drivers drive fast.”
Eight students suffered moderate injuries, 4 students were taken by ambulance, and 1 student was taken by helicopter to the hospital. There were no lacerations or broken bones, according to Mohave Daily News.
The bus driver was briefly trapped inside the bus but was able to escape quickly.
NEEDLES: #SBCoFD onscn TC/MCI semi vs school bus US95 @ MM50. 9 delayed and 13 minor patients. ME32 is IC. ^eas
— SB County Fire (@SBCOUNTYFIRE) September 28, 2017
Leslie Doud, Buckeye School District spokeswoman, commented, “We’re grateful that no one was seriously injured.”
The remaining students were taken by another school bus to Colorado River Medical Center to double check to injuries.
The welfare of the 2 truck drivers involved in the crash is unknown at this time. It is also unclear the contributing causes that led up to this accident.
30 vball players from Buckeye Union HS & 3 coaches headed to volleyball game on school bus involved in crash off SR 95 live @ 5
📸:ZachNews pic.twitter.com/Ko55gVE1zf— Courtney Griffin (@CourtneyGFox10) September 28, 2017