SUFFOLK, Va. — A school bus overturned in Suffolk Monday morning, leaving the driver and 12 children with minor injuries.
It happened in the 1400 block of Cypress Chapel Road when the bus was en route to Southwestern Elementary School, city officials said. It was reported around 9:25 a.m., and the Suffolk Police Department and Suffolk Fire-Rescue responded.
The bus crashed right in front of a home where a family lives. Lauren Violette who lives there said she was working from home when she heard a loud noise from around the bend near her house.
"When I looked out, I saw the bus flip and then it slid a good ways," Violette said. "Adrenaline took over and I came out running unsure of what I was going to see. I heard lots of screams, but thankfully, all the kids were okay."
Violette said when she and her brother ran out to the bus, she saw one of the young male students help kick out the emergency windows to allow the students to get out safely. She said she loved that the little boy knew what to do and acted quickly to help them get to the children in time.
"Once we got to the bus, it was just, yeah, very scary," Violette explained. "They were all so brave and they were all hugging each other and letting each other know that they were going to be okay."
Violette said the students ranged in ages from six to nine years old. She said her family, including her parents who also lived there, brought the children inside the home to stay warm and away from the road.
Meanwhile, Violette said she and her brother went back to find the driver who was still on the bus.
"We could see her in her seat with her seatbelt on. My brother and I, we weren't able to get to her because she was kind of pinned, but she was able to undo her own seatbelt and to get off [the bus]," Violette said. "And it turns out, she was nine months pregnant... so we're just hoping her unborn baby is okay."
Violette said parents and grandparents of the children showed up to the scene and her home, relieved everyone was okay. She said the driver moved from the roadway and remained in the yard under a tree. Violette said she appeared to be in shock, but she didn't see that the woman had any injuries or other major concerns.
She said when officers arrived, they expressed their gratitude toward her family for their efforts.
"Just very glad, like I said, right place and right time and that they are all okay," Violette said.
Violette said she often sees cars crash on Cypress Chapel Road, adding a lot of drivers speed around the bend, which can often cause problems in her neighborhood.
First responders with Suffolk Fire-Rescue took the driver and the children on the bus to hospitals to be treated. Their injuries weren't life-threatening, officials said.
The road was closed in both directions for a few hours before crews reopened it shortly after 12 p.m. The cause of the overturning isn't known, but officials are investigating.
Officials with Suffolk Public Schools said parents of students involved were notified of what happened.
Monday's accident came on the first day of National School Bus Safety Week.