REVISED: SMCISD Staff and Children Treated and Released Following School Bus Accident
Earlier, at about 5:15 pm, a San Marcos CISD school bus was rear-ended by a crane utility truck while the bus was stopped unloading children. The accident was on Highway 21 near the Gary Job Corps entrance. There were 11 children from Travis Elementary school on board, along with the bus driver and a monitor. Six children were taken by ambulance to the Central Texas Medical Center (CTMC). A relief bus with an EMS technician on board transported four children and their parents to CTMC, and one child was released to the care of parents. The driver of the crane truck was taken to an Austin hospital with what was reported as serious injuries.
The school bus driver, Barak Fletcher, and bus monitor Julian Rodriguez were also transported to CTMC, once they were certain all the children were being cared for. They were treated and later released.
Superintendent Mark E. Eads commended the quick actions of Fletcher and Rodriguez in the evacuation and care of all the students.
Travis Elementary principal Niki Konecki, who stayed at the hospital until all the children were released, also thanked all the parents and residents in the area of the accident who brought blankets and bags of ice to help the children until emergency technicians arrived at the scene.
Eads added, “We cannot adequately express our gratitude to the personnel of the Central Texas Medical Center, to DPS and local law enforcement who responded so quickly and compassionately to the needs of our students and their families.”
Several Travis and SMCISD administrators stayed with families at the hospital throughout the evening, including counselors. Travis Elementary leadership reports that all is calm at the campus this morning, but counselors are available to assist as needed.
