School bus carrying football team overturns on way to game

RICHARDS, Texas (KTRK) -- A Hunstville ISD school bus carrying a freshman football team rolled over during a crash Thursday afternoon on their way to a game, sending players to the hospital.

The crash happened around 4 p.m. on FM 1791, also known as Bethel Road, near FM 149, just west of New Waverly.

Twenty-three people went to the hospital. According to Huntsville ISD, there were no life-threatening injuries.

"All those kids were so scared. They were scared to death," Barbara Freeman told ABC13 after visiting her grandson at the hospital. She said Harold Walter, 14, had pain to his tailbone and lower back.

The crash in rural northwest Montgomery County tossed around half of the Huntsville High School freshman football team.

Two buses were heading to their game at Montgomery High School Thursday when the driver of one lost control, officials say. The bus ended up on its side and when it was righted again, football equipment littered the side of the road.

According to Huntsville ISD, seven students and the driver were loaded onto ambulances at the scene and transported to HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe at Conroe Regional Medical Center.

With EMS personnel on board, another bus took 13 more students and two adults to the hospital as a "precautionary measure."

Freeman was concerned the district was downplaying the injuries. She said she saw deep cuts on several students. One mother told ABC13 her son had a broken leg.

"Them kids really are hurt," Freeman said.

The district notified parents as soon as possible so they could join their children at the hospital. In a statement, the district said, "Huntsville ISD is so thankful for the swift response of the first responders and emergency agencies to today's accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the Hornet players, coaches and families involved."

DPS is investigating the crash. The freshman football game at Montgomery High School was cancelled, as many Huntsville players remained at the hospital Thursday night.

Full statement from Huntsville ISD:

Two Huntsville ISD buses were in route to Montgomery, Texas transporting the Huntsville High School Freshman Football Team this afternoon when one of the buses was involved in a one-vehicle accident. The accident occurred on FM 1791 near FM 149 in Richards, TX. Huntsville ISD and Huntsville High School Administrators along with HISD Police responded to the site where various emergency agencies were already on scene. There are injuries reported; however, none are life-threatening and it doesn't appear that any are very severe.

7 students and 1 adult were transported by ambulance to Conroe Regional Hospital in Conroe, Texas for treatment of injuries. With EMS personnel on board, 13 other students and 2 adults were transported via HISD bus to the same hospital for evaluation as a precautionary measure. The 15 students traveling on the second bus were transferred over to a substitute HISD bus and transported back to Huntsville High School.

Upon initial notice of the accident, HISD Administration sent notification directly to the parents of the students involved alerting them of the accident. After confirmation of each student's condition, follow up phone calls were made to those same parents to notify them of their child's location.
Huntsville ISD is so thankful for the swift response of all of the first responders and emergency agencies to today's accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the Hornet players, coaches and families involved.

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