25 Hospitalized After School Bus Carrying High School Football Team Overturns in Georgia

A school bus carrying members of a high school football team overturned on a Georgia highway late Friday night, sending 25 people to hospitals and triggering a large emergency response.

The crash occurred on October 23, 2026, in Conyers, Georgia, as the Salem High School football program was returning from an away game. According to the Georgia State Patrol, the collision happened at approximately 10:48 p.m. near Interstate 20 and State Route 138.

Investigators said the 2025 Freightliner school bus struck a black Kia Soul while attempting to turn onto State Route 138 after exiting the interstate. The Kia spun around, while the bus veered off the roadway and rolled nearly a full rotation before landing on its passenger side.

There were 27 people aboard the bus: 17 student-athletes, seven trainers, two coaches and the driver. Twenty-two students and three staff members were transported to hospitals for medical evaluation and treatment. At least one person was airlifted, while some students were taken to medical facilities by their parents.

The bus driver, 74-year-old Walter Hackett, and the Kia’s driver, 35-year-old Calvin Harling, were also transported for medical care.

Rockdale County Public Schools confirmed that all students had been accounted for and that no fatalities were reported. School officials and staff went to area hospitals to support injured students and their families.

The crash prompted authorities to close highway lanes while emergency crews responded and investigators examined the scene. The Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division are investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision.

Officials have not released detailed information about the injured passengers’ conditions. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not yet announced any charges related to the crash.

For families and members of the Salem High School community, the incident has brought an anxious end to what began as an ordinary trip home from a football game. School officials said they would continue supporting students, staff and families as those affected recover.

Source:  People