Fourteen students were aboard an Ector County ISD school bus when it left the roadway in Odessa, Texas, and crashed through a cluster of parked vehicles Thursday morning.
Footage published by First Alert 7 captured part of the crash outside the La Promesa Apartments near West Monahans Street.
The station reported that Odessa police determined the bus driver failed to control the bus’s speed before it left the road and struck a parked trailer. It then continued into a private parking lot.
The driver was taken to a hospital with injuries police described as non-life-threatening and was cited for failure to control speed. No other injuries were reported.
Off The Road
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Police said the bus was traveling east on West Monahans Street with the 14 students aboard when it left the roadway.
The bus first struck a trailer along the street before continuing into the parking area. Separate reporting from the Midland Times described doorbell footage showing the bus crossing a grassy area on its way into the lot.
Police identified the vehicles that were struck as a Dodge Caravan and a Dodge Charger.
The crash happened at about 8 a.m. Thursday. Another school bus was brought to the scene to continue transporting the students.
Twenty Years
The driver had more than 20 years of experience driving school buses, according to an Ector County ISD statement published by First Alert 7.
The district said its drivers must meet licensing and certification requirements, including 42 hours of behind-the-wheel training before they are hired.
ECISD placed the driver on leave while it conducts its own investigation. The district said the driver was evaluated at the hospital and released.
If the driver is cleared to return, the district said the driver will have to undergo additional training and be recertified before driving a school bus again.