A school bus carrying members of a high school softball team overturned after striking a deer. Seven people were injured, including one adult in critical condition, reported AP News.
The crash reportedly occurred around 9 p.m. Sept. 8 on State Highway 152, roughly 40 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. The bus was on route back from a scheduled game at Riverside Indian School in Anadarko when it hit a deer and flipped, ejecting some passengers.
A total of 17 people were on board at the time of the crash. Among the injured, four students were listed in stable condition as of Tuesday morning. One adult passenger, who was ejected during the rollover, remained in critical condition, Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesperson Sarah Stewart confirmed via the article.
Initial reports stated eight people were injured, but the Ohio Highway Patrol revised the number to seven. “Some students were taken from the scene by their parents before emergency responders arrived,” said Lt. Mark Southall.
“The scene was cleared around midnight,” Southall noted, adding that an investigation into the crash is ongoing. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is working alongside the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the exact cause.
Minco School District Superintendent Kevin Sims said only the school bus driver’s seat with a seatbelt. He also announced that classes were canceled Tuesday in response to the incident.
According to the news report, the crash has shaken the small town of Minco, population about 1,500. Minco First Baptist Church opened its sanctuary the evening the crash, offering a space for prayer and support. U.S. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma expressed his condolences in a social media post, saying he and his wife, Cindy, “join all of Oklahoma in praying for our neighbors in Minco tonight.”
The softball team had reportedly been scheduled to play at Anadarko, about 35 miles southwest of Minco. Authorities continue to investigate the incident and have not released the names of those injured.
Related: Six Students Hospitalized in Massachusetts School Bus Crash
Related: Over a Dozen Injured in a New Jersey School Bus Crash
Related: A Major Crash in Louisiana Involving a Stolen School Bus
Related: Minnesota School Bus Driver Admits to DUI After Crashing with Students Onboard
