School Bus Involved in Deadly Crash on the Way to Academic Competition

A routine Saturday trip turned terrifying. Two Rochester Community School District buses encountered a catastrophic collision with a passenger car. Emergency responders raced to the scene. Families waited in fear for updates.

The crash occurred early on Saturday, January 24. Roughly 60 students were headed to a statewide DECA competition in Lakeland, Michigan. Officials have released few details about the exact location or circumstances. However, the impact was severe enough to halt the caravan. It also triggered an immediate emergency response.

Superintendent Nicole Russo said students were shaken but remarkably survived without serious injuries.

“We’re grateful the students are safe,” Russo said in a statement. “First responders acted quickly. Our teachers and chaperones stayed calm, and every student has been accounted for.”

Students were eventually moved to a second bus to keep warm while police secured the area. They were later transported back to Stoney Creek High School, where school officials began contacting parents one by one.

But while students escaped major injuries, the driver of the passenger car was not as fortunate. According to WDIV-Channel 4, the driver — a man from Livingston County — died from injuries sustained in the crash. Authorities have not released his name, and WWJ Newsradio 950 has not yet confirmed the fatality.

Police say the cause of the crash remains under active investigation.

Parents who arrived at Stoney Creek described the scene as tense and emotional. One parent, who asked not to be identified, said, “You get a call. It says your kid’s bus has been in an accident. Your heart stops. You don’t think. You just go.”

The students were enroute to a competition for DECA. It is a national nonprofit that prepares high schoolers for careers in business, marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Rochester schools frequently participate in statewide DECA events, and the competitions are considered major résumé-builders for college-bound teens.

Russo later offered a fuller statement, emphasizing transparency as the investigation continues.

“This morning, two Rochester Community School District buses were transporting approximately 60 students to a DECA competition in Lakeland, Michigan. An accident occurred between one of the buses and a passenger car. Students and staff have been accounted for and are keeping warm in the second bus. No serious student injuries have been reported at this time. First responders are on the scene. Parents are being contacted. Students will return to Stoney Creek High School. We will continue to share additional details as they become available,” she wrote.

For now, families are relieved their children are safe. The community, however, is bracing for answers about what led to a crash. It could have ended much worse.