BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY — A school bus carrying the girls gymnastics team from New Castle was involved in a head-on crash Saturday morning.
According to Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers, the school bus collided head-on with an SUV in the 17000 block of East SR 46 just before 9:30 a.m.
Myers said all student members of the New Castle girls gymnastics team were checked and released at the scene and an assistant coach was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital for complaints of pain.
The driver of the SUV had to be extricated from his vehicle and was airlifted to IU Methodist Hospital. His condition is not known at this time.
The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Barhtolomew County Sheriff's Office and Indiana State Police.
New Castle superintendent Matt Shoemaker released a statement Saturday night regarding the crash:
Our gymnastics team was traveling to participate in regionals at Columbus East High School. All of our students were evaluated at the scene of the accident by EMT's and, fortunately, none required further attention. One of our coaches went to the hospital for further evaluation and has since been released. Huge thanks to the administration and staff from Columbus East as they graciously sent a bus to pick up the girls and set up a room at the high school where they could be reunited with their parents. We are also very grateful that the Indiana High School Athletic Association postponed regional competition until Monday so that our girls may have the opportunity to compete. Lastly, many passengers in the bus and on the scene afterward stated that our driver's actions saved everyone on the bus from serious injury by her responsiveness in handling the bus during, and immediately following the accident. She has driven for New Castle Schools for nearly 40 years and her experience and skill certainly paid off today.
