CLEVELAND, Texas – A Cleveland ISD school bus carrying nearly 60 students and staff flipped on its side Wednesday morning in Liberty County, sending 32 people to hospitals and leaving many shaken. It was the district’s second bus crash in less than a week.
The accident happened just after 7 a.m. on FM 1010 during the morning route. Cleveland ISD said there were 58 people on board, including students and staff. Sixteen suffered minor injuries.
‘Everyone was screaming’
Fifth-grader Lillian Rosa described the terrifying moment the bus began to tip.
“Everyone was screaming, the kids were crying, some were bleeding from their noses,” she said. “The only thing I know is that the bus was going fast and it got a lot of noise and then the bus turned around.”
When the bus rolled, Lillian said she slammed into the window, hitting her head and neck. The pain has not stopped.
“I thought we were going to stay there and we couldn’t leave because the door couldn’t be opened,” she said. “We were all trying to open the windows of the emergency and then we opened it and we were trying to get the kids out of there first.”
‘It was horrible for me’
Her mother, Beatriz Valencia, recalled the moment she got the call.
“It was horrible,” Valencia said. “She said to me, ‘Mom, the bus turned around.’ I said, ‘What do you mean it turned around?’ She said, ‘Yes, there are children bleeding.’ She was crying… it was horrible for me.”
Valencia said her daughter has a serious medical history, including a skull fracture. Hearing that Lillian hit her head and neck again brought a wave of fear.
“My mind was going back to the same thing — more recovery time, more complications,” she said. “All I could think about was getting to her.”
Valencia said she never heard from the school until she was already at the hospital.
“I found out because she called me,” she said.
Demands for change
After two bus crashes in one week, Valencia said the district must act.
“Security — both on the buses and with the drivers,” she said. “This is the second bus crash this week. What’s going to happen the third time?”
She also expressed concern about mounting medical bills.
“They asked if my daughter had insurance. I said no,” Valencia said. “They told me it’s not clear if the school or district will pay. They told me to save the bills in case I need to send them in.”
Investigation continues
Cleveland ISD said the cause of the crash is still under investigation. Officials are reviewing the driver’s record, the bus’s maintenance history, and possible road hazards.
KPRC 2 has asked if any safety changes will be made following these two crashes. The district has not yet responded.
