12 Rushed to Hospital After School Bus Overturns

What should have been an exciting first day of school turned into a nightmare Wednesday afternoon when a Leander Independent School District bus carrying 42 elementary students flipped onto its side in northern Travis County.

Authorities say the bus had just left Bagdad Elementary School in Leander when it veered off a curve on Nameless Road for reasons still under investigation. The vehicle rolled over roughly five miles from the campus, scattering backpacks and water bottles across the roadside.

“It’s every parent’s worst fear — the call that your child’s school bus has been in an accident,” said a visibly shaken Travis County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. “We were lucky this wasn’t much worse.”

Austin-Travis County EMS confirmed 12 people were hospitalized. One child suffered life-threatening injuries, while two others were in potentially life-threatening condition. The remaining passengers sustained injuries described as non-life-threatening but still serious enough to warrant medical attention.

Eight ambulances and two STARFlight helicopters rushed to the crash site. Patients were transported to five different hospitals across the Austin area as worried parents rushed to the reunification center set up at Round Mountain Baptist Church.

Local resident Mark Trevino, who lives near the crash scene, said he heard “a loud, grinding metal sound” before running outside to see the overturned bus.
“I saw kids climbing out of the windows. Some were crying, some were just stunned,” Trevino recalled. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Leander ISD, one of the fastest-growing districts in Texas, serves thousands of students across Williamson and Travis counties. On Wednesday night, district officials released a brief statement thanking first responders and promising “full cooperation with investigators.”

This is the second Texas school bus rollover in a single day. Hours earlier, a Cleveland ISD bus carrying 58 students also flipped, though no major injuries were reported in that incident.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation into the Leander crash, examining whether speed, driver fatigue, or a mechanical issue played a role.

“This investigation is still in the very early stages,” DPS Sgt. Victor Taylor told reporters. “Our priority right now is making sure every child gets the care they need.”