A Leander school district bus carrying more than 40 children was involved in a rollover crash near Big Sandy Creek at 3:16 p.m. Wednesday, the Travis County sheriff’s office confirmed to the American-Statesman.
Forty-two children and one adult were on the bus, and multiple injuries were reported, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. In a post on X, Travis County Judge Andy Brown said no fatalities or life-threatening injuries have been reported. The school district confirmed that several children were injured.
The crash happened at the intersection of Nameless Road and Palomino Ranch Drive.
Five children were taken to Dell Children’s North Austin Medical Center, the hospital said. Another five children were taken to Dell Children’s Medical Center in East Austin, the region’s highest-level trauma hospital.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation, sheriff’s office spokesperson Kristen Dark said. The sheriff’s office, StarFlight and Emergency Services District No. 1 are helping with the emergency response, Brown said.
At 4:05 p.m. the Leander school district sent the families of children on Bus 750 a message that the vehicle was involved in a crash, according to the district. Round Mountain Baptist Church has been established as a reunification site. The district is asking families to stay away from the crash site.
The Big Sandy Creek area, where the crash occurred, was ravaged by deadly flash flooding last month, leaving many roads damaged, including parts of Nameless Road. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the crash.
As of November, 82% of the buses used to transport students on a daily basis in Leander have seat belts. About 42% of the district’s additional or back-up fleet have seat belts.
This is a developing story; please check back for updates.