Salem High football players, staff hospitalized after school bus overturns

More than 20 Salem High School football players and some staff were taken to hospitals late Friday after a fully loaded school bus was involved in a crash with another vehicle and overturned off a Rockdale County road, officials said.

The crash happened shortly before 10:50 p.m. as the 74-year-old bus driver was trying to get off I-20 to return to the high school along Underwood Road, just south of the interstate, the Georgia State Patrol confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Officials with the Rockdale school district said in a social media post that their hearts were with the football players, trainers and coaches, staff and families impacted.

“Twenty-two students and three adults were transported for medical treatment. We are thankful that there were no fatalities and that many of those transported have been treated and released,” the school district said early Saturday.

Troopers, who were requested by Conyers police to investigate the two-vehicle crash, were able to determine the bus driver was attempting to turn right onto McDonough Highway off I-20 east. That’s when the driver allegedly lost control of the bus and traveled across both southbound and northbound lanes of McDonough Highway, the GSP said.

The bus was struck by a black Kia Soul being driven by a 35-year-old man, who officials said was driving in the left northbound lane. The bus then went off the road and began to overturn. The GSP said the school bus “nearly” made one full rotation before settling on its passenger side.

Authorities said all students were accounted for and added that some were taken to a hospital by their parents, others were taken by ambulance and at least one student was flown to a hospital by helicopter. Their conditions were not provided.

Both drivers were also taken to a hospital.