The bus veered off a roadway and slammed into a concrete pillar Sunday afternoon at Denver International Airport after picking up members of the Legacy High School football squad. The bus was carrying the Legacy High football team from Broomfield.
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The bus that crashed was carrying 31 passengers and for unknown reasons, the driver made a second lap back towards arrivals on the East side of the airport.
Sgt. Mike Farr says investigators still don’t know what caused Chopper to drive directly into the pillar.
“There’s a big mystery there”, he said.
DPD says they don’t know why the driver choose to make a second lap back towards the airport. Tire tracks show she made no attempt to avoid the pillar.
Police Sergeant Mike Farr said the driver crashed into a pillar in the vehicle park, but the reason for the crash is not known. They are also studying the bus for mechanical problems.
“What were left with now is trying to explain why this crash occurred”, Farr said. The bus carried 28 students and four adults, airport spokeswoman Heath Montgomery said.
The school district also declined to say which coaches were in critical condition but stressed that the priority was taking care of students, making sure they have the support they needed to get through this hard time.
At about 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 11, three school buses arrived at the airport to pick up Varsity and JV football players as well as three coaches after “playing a tournament in California”.
Police spokesman John White said the female driver died at the scene.
Officials at Denver Health told KUSA TV station that they had five patients: two in critical condition, two in serious condition and one fair.
According to the Associated Press, the bus involved is with Adams 12 Five Star Schools. A crisis team will be at the school Monday to help students. The hospital wouldn’t release more details.
“Really, our focus needs to be making sure our students and staff are cared for”, he said. “It’s such a tragic event”.
The Legacy Lightning football team played a game Friday against Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles.
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A Monday “college spirit day” was modified into a Legacy day in support of the football team, senior Emily Stockhus said.
