LINCOLN COUNTY, Idaho — A dozen students were injured when their school bus overturned on an Idaho highway on Tuesday.

The Blaine County School District bus was transporting a junior high track team to a meet when the crash occurred early Tuesday afternoon. There were 39 students and some adult chaperones on board.

According to the Idaho State Police, school bus driver Richard Mecham, 67, was driving the 2011 model year bus westbound on the highway when he drove off the right shoulder, overcorrected, and rolled the vehicle.

Police said that 12 of the 39 students were transported to nearby hospitals — seven by ground ambulance and five by air. Another bus was dispatched to take other students back to their school.

The chaperones were treated at the scene and released. Mecham was not injured.

Blaine County School District posted multiple updates about the crash and the condition of the students on Facebook and the district’s website. On Wednesday at 5:37 p.m., the district reported that all of the students who were hospitalized had been released and returned to their families.

“We are grateful to the community for their support, thoughts and good wishes for the students and their families,” the district wrote, also adding thanks to the first responders and medical staff who helped the students and staff.

Lincoln County Sheriff Rene Rodriguez noted on Facebook that numerous agencies — including law enforcement, fire, EMS, search and rescue, and the Idaho Transportation Department — as well as “good Samaritans” were involved in the response to the crash.

“The great work between all the teams made for the positive outcome for all individuals involved,” Rodriguez said. “This is why we train together and this is why we, as the Lincoln County community, need to continue to work and train together!”

About the author
Thomas McMahon

Thomas McMahon

Executive Editor

Thomas had covered the pupil transportation industry with School Bus Fleet since 2002. When he's not writing articles about yellow buses, he enjoys running long distances and making a joyful noise with his guitar.

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