A bus carrying Rome High School’s football team was involved in a crash with a suspected drunken driver late Thursday night, injuring at least 15 people, according to officials.
The crash happened on Ga. 101 near Doc Moates and Old Rome roads at around 10:50 p.m., the Georgia State Patrol confirmed. The team was returning from a scrimmage against Rockmart High in Polk County, Rome City Schools said.
Roughly 25 people were aboard the bus at the time of the collision, a Polk County Fire and Rescue spokesperson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Twenty of them were students, the Polk County Standard Journal reported.
In an update posted just before midnight Thursday, the Rome school district said everyone on the bus had been accounted for, and those who did not need medical attention returned to the high school on a different bus.
Three adults and 12 students were treated at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, according to Channel 2 Action News. All had been released as of Friday morning.
Rome coach John Reid told he AJC that the “team is doing fine.”
“Many had bruises, sprains and other injuries that you might imagine would occur when a bus rolls three, four times,” Reid said Friday. “The Rome Wolves are tough, and although we went through some trauma, we did not have a tragedy. And for that, we are thankful.”
According to the state patrol, a woman driving a Nissan Versa was headed south on Ga. 101 at the same time the bus was going in the opposite direction. As they negotiated a very slight curve, the Nissan’s driver failed to maintain her lane and crossed into the northbound lane, where her vehicle’s front collided with the bus’ rear wheel on the driver’s side, the GSP said.
Upon impact, the Nissan began rotating clockwise before veering off to the west shoulder. The bus then crossed the center line and also ended up on the west side.
Credit: Jeremy Stewart
Credit: Jeremy Stewart
A driver who witnessed the crash told the Standard Journal that the bus rolled multiple times and came to a rest on its side against a utility pole, which broke near the top and left the lower part leaning on the bus.
The second vehicle ended up about 100 yards from where the bus crashed, the newspaper reported. It had major damage to its front end.
GSP said the Nissan’s driver, identified as Jeyonna Underwood, was “suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and was placed under arrest.” She was charged with DUI, DUI child endangerment and failure to maintain lane. Authorities have not said if Underwood was injured or if anyone else was in the car.
Rome City Schools’ superintendent told the Standard Journal that the district is providing counseling and allowing for excused absences for those involved in the crash.
In a social media post, Polk School District officials said they extend their “thoughts and prayers to the Rome High School student-athletes and staff” involved in the crash.
“Please join us in sending well wishes to all involved,” the district added.
Rome won the scrimmage over Rockmart 58-6. The Wolves open the regular season next Friday against Creekside as part of the Corky Kell/Dave Hunter Classic.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
