MARANA, AZ — Multiple teenagers were hurt in a school bus crash along Interstate 10 near Marana.
Around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Arizona Department of Public Safety officials say troopers responded to a school bus crash along eastbound Interstate 10 at the Tangerine Road off-ramp, northwest of Tucson.
Investigators say a school bus from Kingman Unified School District and a silver SUV were involved in the crash. The impact of the collision caused the bus driver to lose control, go into other lanes of traffic, hit a median barrier cable, and roll on its side.
DPS says approximately 40 people were on the bus, including teenage students, an adult driver, and three adult chaperones.
One adult and three students were taken to a hospital for treatment of various injuries via ambulances. The remaining occupants were taken to a hospital via Marana school buses as a precaution to get checked out, officials say.
DPS officials did not provide the exact extent of the injuries but none of them are believed to be life-threatening.
On Wednesday, Kingman USD announced most of the students were released from the hospital, although two students and two staff members were still being treated for their injuries.
The driver of the SUV, a 31-year-old man from Marana, was arrested at the scene and taken to a local DPS office. DPS has not provided the possible charges against the driver and declined to comment on the reason for the arrest.
According to court paperwork, the man faces three counts of aggravated assault.
Various injuries were sustained, including a hand amputation to one of the victims, according to court paperwork.
The investigation remains ongoing.
District officials provided the following statement to the community and families:
We want to inform our families that a bus carrying Kingman Unified School District #20 FBLA students and three chaperones was involved in an accident on I-10 near Tucson. Thankfully, there are no fatalities, but several students and a staff member have been transported for medical evaluation.
Kingman High School and Lee Williams High School administration are actively reaching out to the families of those involved. Please know that we are gathering information and will provide updates as soon as possible.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we appreciate your patience and support during this time."
