A school bus accident ended tragically on the morning of Tuesday, September 15, 2015, when the bus was struck by another vehicle—one being driven by a district teacher—while traveling on an overpass. The collision caused the bus to tip over the guardrail, crashing onto Telephone Road below on its side. The accident resulted in two teenaged females—Janecia Chatman, aged 14, and Maryah Johnson, aged 17, losing their lives. Two more students were hurt, as was the driver of the bus. The extent of their injuries has been reported as serious.
Only four passengers were on board the bus at the time of the accident, at which time the bus was en route to nearby Furr High School. The accident occurred on westbound Interstate 610 at around 7 a.m. when a Buick slammed into the bus, causing the bus driver to lose control of the vehicle. It is not yet known why the driver of the car hit the bus. The Buick’s driver reported that another vehicle was entering her lane and she believed herself in danger of being hit, so she swerved and overcorrected, causing her vehicle to crash into the bus while on the 610 overpass. A portion of the freeway was shut down as police investigated the accident during the morning hours, re-opening just prior to noon.
At least one of the victims of the crash—Janecia Chatman, the 14-year-old girl whose life was lost—was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where she later died. Maryah Johnson died at the scene. The students on board the bus during the accident attended Furr High School and REACH Charter High School, which is housed on Furr High School’s grounds. The families of the victims and the community in general are shaken by the accident, and the Johnson family has reported their intent to file a lawsuit in light of their daughter’s tragic death. Local police have detained the Buick’s driver for further questioning, and the National Transportation and Safety Board will be conducting an independent investigation.