In brief
On Monday night, a school bus carrying a softball team overturned after colliding with a deer on State Highway 152 near Minco, Oklahoma. Out of the 17 passengers, seven were injured, including one adult in critical condition. The investigation is ongoing, with the National Transportation Safety Board involved. School will remain closed as community support pours in for the affected families.
MINCO, Okla. (AP) — A school bus carrying softball team members in Oklahoma crashed into a deer and overturned, ejecting some passengers and injuring seven people, the state highway patrol said.
The crash happened Monday night on State Highway 152 near Minco in Grady County, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Oklahoma City.
One adult who was ejected from the bus remained in critical condition Tuesday morning, and four students were listed in stable condition, Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesperson Sarah Stewart said. A total of 17 passengers were on the bus when it overturned, OHP Lt. Mark Southall said. The OHP initially reported eight people were injured in the crash but later revised that number to seven.
Southall said some students on the bus were transported from the scene by their parents before troopers arrived. The scene was cleared around midnight and an investigation into what caused the crash continues, with the patrol working alongside the National Transportation Safety Board.
The driver’s seat was the only one on the bus equipped with a seat belt, Minco Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Sims stated.
School was closed Tuesday as the community grieves this tragic event. Sims remarked, “Please keep these student-athletes, coaches, and their families in your prayers.”
U.S. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma also expressed his condolences on social media, stating he and his wife, Cindy, are praying for the affected families. The Minco First Baptist Church invited community members to come and pray at the church sanctuary.
The softball team was scheduled to play at 6 p.m. Monday at the Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, approximately 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of Minco.
