SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio Independent School District bus drove off of the elevated I-37 northbound lanes near East Commerce Downtown. It smashed into the sidewalk right in front of the Comfort Suites at 505 Live Oak Street. The accident happened at about 4:40pm Thursday.
Slideshow from World Car Sky 4Comfort Suites manager Sherry Chaudhry tells News 4 WOAI the school bus went over the edge of the highway. Chaudhry saw the crash from her 5th floor office. "You heard an explosion and you could see the bus go over the freeway, " said Chaudhry.
Luis Martinez, 7, Velma Pena, 47 and the driver, who sources say is in his 70's, were on board. "The bus driver and other passenger were actually sitting in their seat, you can imagine that, " Chaudhry went on to say.
San Antonio ISD spokesperson Leslie Price said the student on board the bus was from Highland Park elementary school.
Chaudhry said the little boy on the wasn't crying at the scene and was extremely brave. "He was talking, he said he was fine but his head hurt, " she added.
She said gasoline had spilled all over the scene of the accident. According to Chaudhry, the bus driver said a car had cut him off and forced the bus off the road.
Sgt Salazar from the San Antonio Police Department tells us the SAISD bus driver and monitor suffered possible broken bones, and the 7-year-old old elementary student was treated for facial lacerations. All three were transported to University Hospital.
Salazar said the bus took a 15-foot nosedive and on impact sustained damage to the front section. The impact caused the body of the bus to separate from frame and axels.
Chaudhry said an 18-wheeler may have pushed the bus off the overpass after it was cut off. The driver suspected of cutting the school bus off was also taken to the hospital. Their identify and condition have not been released yet.
