School bus transporting 15 students hit by vehicle east of Shiprock

WINDOW ROCK

A bus from Shiprock Association Schools Inc. transporting students back to their dorm was involved in an accident on Thursday evening.

Richard Edwards, executive director of SASI, said 15 female students were on the bus when the accident happened on U.S Highway 64 in the westbound lane, about two miles east of Shiprock.

He said the bus was hit by a vehicle that crossed the median.

The students were transported in ambulances and another bus to the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock. Edwards said all the students were released from the hospital after being treated.

“(I’m) so thankful our children were able to walk away,” Edwards said on Friday during a phone interview.

Though he was not able to say much about the accident because it was still being investigated, Edwards said passengers from the vehicle that hit the bus were also transported to the hospital.

He praised the bus driver’s quick action that “probably prevented” more serious injuries from occurring. The driver’s name has not been released yet.

“She did a tremendous job – she noticed fluids leaking from bus and quickly assessed and got them off the bus,” Edwards said. “Then she was able to them get back on the bus after determining the leaking was not life-threatening.”

Edwards said the bus driver was resting at home.

SASI currently houses 50 students at its residential dorms, Edwards said.