CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — A 13-year-old boy has died after a bus crash Thursday on South Carolina’s Interstate 77 South in Chester County, the coroner’s office confirmed to WSOC-TV.
The S.C. Highway Patrol said the crash happened just before 2 p.m. near Exit 55 (Highway 97), and all southbound lanes were blocked.
The three buses were from the Lexington County Schools District 2, and officials there said they were carrying students from Pine Ridge Middle School.
They were returning home after a field trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame when a tire blew. Troopers said the bus then hit a guardrail and overturned.
In all, Chester County’s emergency management director said 38 patients were transported to nearby hospitals – three by helicopter and the rest by ground.
Patients were taken to five different hospitals, including Atrium and Prisma Main, emergency officials said. At the time of the crash, at least five students were badly injured.
On Friday, the county coroner identified the victim who died in the crash as Jose Maria Gonzales Linares, an eighth grader at Pine Ridge Middle School.
During a prayer vigil at the school Friday, officials said they’re planning to have counselors available for students.
Channel 9 reporter Tina Terry spoke with members of the Richburg Fire Department, who were among the first to respond to the scene.
“We do train for accidents like this, but it never does prepare you for what you’re going to see when you get there,” said firefighter Zachary Gibson. “Bad calls stick with you.”
Gibson admitted that what he saw at the scene was traumatizing. He described how the students on the overturned bus were stuck inside at first, but the adults on the bus helped unseal a door.
Firefighters said they had to cut the bus to free one entrapped child. They also had to help dozens of other students.
“There were a number of them who were scared and upset. So once you get them to calm down, you can say, ‘Are you hurt anywhere?’” said Gibson.
They said their hearts are with the young people who were on the bus, as well as the driver.
“Parents, ask your kids if they’re okay. Ask them questions; keep an eye on them. Very few kids go through a traumatic event like that,” said Gibson.
While the crash only took a few seconds, the aftermath could last for days or even years, with every student who survived facing a new challenge.
Channel 9 reporter Glenn Counts discussed the possible emotional trauma those students could be facing with Amanda Enlow, the director of clinical services for the Healing Collective Counseling Service.
“There is the shock, there is the denial that just happened, and the shock can last a pretty long time,” said Enlow. “Two people can go through the exact same traumatic event and can metabolize and experience it completely differently.”
She said parents and guardians need to look for signs that some students might be struggling.
“Maybe they are a little more nervous, a little more on edge; things that didn’t scare them before are scaring them now; maybe they are having bad dreams,” said Enlow. “That can be such a hard thing because everybody in that school is looking at the desk that’s empty.”
Enlow also said it’s important for parents and caregivers to be patient.
“Too often we try and push through the grief process to get to some resolution and get to the new normal, and a lot of times we don’t allow space for all the feelings,” she expressed.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster released a statement regarding this incident, saying:
“Today’s school bus accident in Chester County is a tragedy no family should ever have to endure. Peggy and I are heartbroken. Please join us in praying for the victim, their family, a speedy recovery for those injured, and the entire Lexington Two community. All of South Carolina is with you.”
The NASCAR Hall of Fame also released a statement, saying:
“We are heartbroken by the news of the tragic bus accident and extend our deepest sympathies to everyone affected. We are especially mourning the loss of one young life—holding the family of the student in our prayers. Our thoughts are with the friends, fellow students, and families coming to terms with this unimaginable loss, and we hold those who were injured in our hearts as they begin to heal.
Earlier that day, these students had visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame on a school field trip and we were devastated to learn of the events that followed. We consider every guest who walks through our doors a part of our community, and this tragedy weighs heavily on all of us.
On behalf of our entire team, we extend our heartfelt condolences during this incredibly difficult time."
The South Carolina Highway Patrol will be the agency investigating this crash. They will decide if the driver should be cited or not.
A special team of investigators will also look into the bus involved in this incident, its inspection history, and whether it should have been on the road.
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