Students in bus rollover released from hospital - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

All of the students and their bus driver involved in a rollover crash Friday morning have been released from the hospital.

A school bus carrying students from Clinton Prairie schools rolled over at least once just before 8 a.m. near the intersection of Manson Colfax Road and County Road 450 West.

The bus was traveling eastbound on Manson Colfax Road to the Clinton Prairie school complex when it hydroplaned and rolled over. The majority of students on the bus were elementary age as young as five years old. There were also high school students on the bus.

Several students tell Eyewitness News the first-year bus driver was lost and on the wrong road after taking a wrong turn. A student was reportedly trying to give the driver directions to get to the school when the accident happened.

"All of a sudden the bus started tipping and then the bus driver said 'Hold on!' she yelled 'Hold on!', like, what are you talking about? And just started rolling and flipping and everyone was, like, falling," said nine-year-old student Alysa Eitner. "They were crying and scared. They were really scared."

"I started crying and I pictured the worst. She's okay, she's just shook up," said parent Shelly Martin. "I just had a feeling like something was wrong and it was the worst feeling in the world. Thank God, I'm so happy."

Twenty-six students and the female bus driver were taken to St. Vincent Hospital in Frankfort, which went into disaster mode, calling in extra doctors. Three were brought by ambulance in serious condition and some of the crash victims suffered broken bones and bruises.

One fourth grader went home with an ice pack for a bump on her head and her two sisters.

"One got a bump on her head and the other two were fine, besides one lost her shoe," said Tiana Carr.

Another student was taken to IU Health Arnett Hospital in Lafayette.

All of the victims, 27 students and the driver, were released from the hospital by Friday afternoon.

The cause of the accident is under investigation by state police. Authorities say it was raining heavily at the time of the accident.

"We don't believe there was any other cause, except for wet roads and from that point, that's all we know. But there were no other extenuating circumstances that we're aware of," said Superintendent Chris Sampson.

School officials say the bus driver will not return to work until the investigation is complete. The driver is being tested for alcohol and drugs, as is standard procedure in accidents involving injury.

Police will also review video surveillance from inside the bus.

There were no seat belts on the bus.