15 students injured when school bus overturns; driver of car killed in crash

Students described a terrifying scene of children and backpacks being tossed about as a school bus overturned this morning in a crash that authorities said left the driver of a car dead and her 10-year-old passenger critically injured.

A total of 15 students on the bus were taken to area hospitals with nonlife-threatening injuries, officials said.

“One minute everything was normal and, just like that, we were scared for our lives,” said Jonathan Blount, one of 36 students on the bus. “We thought we were going to die.”

Karla Guerrero, 13, said she was sitting in the back of the bus with a friend when everyone was suddenly thrown from their seats.

“The bus just did a flip, and it happened really fast,” said Guerrero, who emerged without injury. “Kids, backpacks and dirt were everywhere. It was terrifying.”

The crash happened about 8:30 a.m. near Nellis Boulevard and Carey Avenue in the northeast valley. Photos from the scene show the bus overturned and a heavily damaged car.

According to Metro traffic investigators, the bus was heading south on Nellis when it was struck by a 2000 Ford Taurus, which was eastbound and crossing Carey on a red light.

The front of the car, which was momentarily wedged in the bus, was partially crushed, and both vehicles continued for some time until the car detached, police said. The bus continued off-road through a chain-link fence and into an undeveloped desert area and then tipped over, police said.

The 70-year-old Las Vegas woman driving the Taurus died at the scene, and her passenger, a 10-year-old girl, was rushed to University Medical Center in critical condition.

The bus’s female driver and the three-dozen students — ages 11 to 15 — exited through an emergency back door, police said. The woman also suffered minor injuries.

A total of 14 children were taken to UMC, hospital spokeswoman Danita Cohen said this afternoon. Two other children were taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and later discharged, a spokeswoman said.

The bus was headed to William H. Bailey Middle School at the time of the crash, said David Sheehan, a spokesman for the Clark County School District.

Standing with an ice pack pressed to his neck, Blount, an eighth-grader at Bailey Middle School, described a frantic scene, with students crying and panicking as the bus overturned.

Blount said he escaped through a rooftop emergency exit after the bus landed on its side.

Guerrero said students who didn't go to the hospital were loaded onto another bus and waited for their parents to arrive. She said nearly an hour passed before she was reunited with her mother.

“It felt like I hadn’t seen her in years,” Guerrero said. “I just gave her a huge hug.”

Carolina Santos was among a number of parents awaiting word on their children. “I’m just praying he’s OK,” she said.

A mile stretch of Nellis was closed in both directions from Cartier to Judson avenues and didn't reopen until about 3 p.m.

At Bailey Middle School, 2500 N. Hollywood Blvd., classes went on as normal. In a statement to parents, Principal Nathalie Burgess acknowledged the accident and said parents of students on the bus would be contacted individually.

Metro, Clark County School District Police, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and the Clark County Fire Department responded to the wreck.

Sun writer Mick Akers contributed to this report.