MADISONVILLE, Texas – Sixteen students and two other people were injured when a school bus rolled over after a crash Friday afternoon near Madisonville.
The crash happened just after 4 p.m. at the intersection of State Highway 75 and the Interstate 45 frontage road.
According to Texas troopers, a car pulled out in front of the school bus. After the vehicles crashed, the bus then crashed into a guardrail and rolled onto its side.
Sixteen of the 18 students on board were injured in the crash, troopers said. One of those students was flown to McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple for treatment.
A passenger in the car was also hospitalized, troopers said.
Troopers said none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.
A mother of three children on the bus, who were all injured in the crash spoke with KPRC2.
"When I got to the scene, Anthony was the first one I came upon. He was on the ground and covered in blood," Kaci Halpain said. "I held his hand and let him know I was there."
Halpain told KPRC2 that her 14-year-old son was taken by ambulance and suffered from several injuries, including a broken neck and back. She said he was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston and may need surgery.
Halpain's 15-year-old daughter was trapped on the bus and lost consciousness. She was flown to the hospital in Temple, according to Halpain.
Her 12-year-old was taken to a hospital, but since has been released.
"It's been an emotional and very crazy day," Halpain said.