A School Bus and Cement Truck Collide Head-On, Killing 2

BASTROP COUNTY, TX — A Hays Consolidated Independent School District bus, carrying Tom Green Elementary students, was involved in a horrific crash on Friday afternoon, resulting in at least two deaths, according to the Texas DPS.

Hays CISD Superintendent Eric Wright stated that the students were returning from a field trip to the Bastrop Zoo. Forty-four students and 11 adults were on board the bus.

"Parents of students on the bus have been directly notified by the campus. The district is currently in the process of conducting reunification," said Wright. "One of the deaths was a child on the bus, and the other was a man from a vehicle traveling behind the bus, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety."

The crash occurred between the bus and a concrete truck near the city of Mustang Ridge, as reported by the Texas DPS to KXAN. Officials stated that their initial investigation revealed the concrete truck veered into the lane of the school bus on SH 21, resulting in the collision and the bus rolling over.

Hays CISD encompasses the cities of Kyle, Buda, and Driftwood along I-35 south of Austin and north of San Marcos. Mustang Ridge is only a few miles east of the school district’s northeastern boundary.

Wright mentioned that the bus driver sustained injuries but deferred treatment until all the children on the bus were treated.

Among the two fatalities was a pre-K boy. Wright expressed profound grief over his death.

“There are no words that can express my sorrow for the student’s family, the Tom Green Elementary School family, and our greater Hays CISD community,” Wright said.

The second fatality was a driver in a vehicle behind the bus, unrelated to the school district.

There were a total of 53 individuals involved in the crash. In addition to the two fatalities, four are in critical condition and were transported by life flight helicopter to an area hospital. Six additional crash victims were transported to area hospitals by ambulance.