By CHELSEY ZHU, MAYA FAWAZ, KUT

A Leander ISD school bus rolled over Wednesday in the Sandy Creek area near Leander with 42 children and one adult inside.

Seventeen people, including the bus driver, were ultimately taken to the hospital, Leander ISD confirmed Thursday afternoon. Two people were seriously injured, but the district said that as of Wednesday evening, everyone with injuries was in stable condition.

The bus mainly served Bagdad Elementary School, Leander ISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing said at a news conference. Gearing called the bus driver a “seasoned veteran.”

Billy Ray, a public information officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the bus was traveling south on Nameless Road — which has a slight curve — when it left the right side of the road “for an unknown reason” and rolled over. It was raining, Ray said, but it’s not clear if that was a factor in the crash. An investigation is ongoing, he said.

“This part of our Leander ISD family has been through so much already this summer with the floods, and this tragedy this afternoon is really breaking our hearts.”

Leander ISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing

The crash was not related to flood damage in the Sandy Creek area, Gearing said.

The bus was taking students home from school. Gearing said he believed no student had been dropped off yet.

First responders began receiving reports about the crash around 3:15 p.m. Officials told people to avoid the area.

Round Mountain Baptist Church was serving as a reunification center. ATCEMS said students who didn’t need to go to the hospital were taken to the church. All students had been reunited with their families by Wednesday evening.

The school bus was a 2024 model with seat belts, Gearing said. Students are required to wear seat belts on buses that have them, but the superintendent said officials don’t know how many students were wearing them at the time of the crash.

Wednesday was the first day of school for Leander ISD. Gearing said school would still be in session Thursday, and the district was preparing counselors to support Bagdad students and families.

“This part of our Leander ISD family has been through so much already this summer with the floods, and this tragedy this afternoon is really breaking our hearts,” he said. “We want each of those students and their families to know that our prayers are with them, our thoughts are with them, and we will do everything that we can in our power to support them.”

2024 Hays CISD bus crash

Last year, a school bus carrying Hays CISD students rolled over in Bastrop County, leaving one adult and one child dead. The bus was bringing Tom Green Elementary pre-K students back from a field trip when a concrete truck veered into the bus’ lane.

The concrete truck driver pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges.

The crash sparked conversations about ensuring all district buses have seat belts. Since then, Hays CISD has worked to buy school buses with seat belts and retrofit its fleet.

In May, voters approved nearly $1 billion in bonds for the school district, including $7 million to buy new buses with seat belts.

State funding for seat belts

A state law passed in 2017 requires all new school buses bought by districts to be equipped with lap and shoulder seat belts after a deadly school bus crash in Houston.

During the 2009 legislative session, state lawmakers set aside $10 million for the School Bus Seat Belt Grant Program. Austin ISD was one of four districts in the state that applied for funding.

Posted on the Leander ISD website on August 13, 2025

Dear Leander ISD families,

This afternoon, a Leander ISD bus was involved in a serious accident on Nameless Road while transporting students after school. First responders, school and district staff were immediately on the scene to support the students and families involved.

Our hearts are with all those impacted by this tragedy. We are working closely with Counseling Services to ensure students, staff, and families across the district have access to support in the days ahead.

We have shared a letter with Bagdad Elementary families containing more details, including support resources for students. You can read that message below.

Thank you for keeping these students, their families, and our Bagdad Elementary community in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Bruce Gearing, Ed.D.

Leander ISD Superintendent

---

Dear Bagdad Elementary Families,

We have some difficult news to share. This afternoon, bus #750 was involved in an accident on Nameless Road while transporting students after school. First responders, school, and district staff were immediately on the scene, and our staff are with the impacted students and their families.

As of the latest update, a total of 17 people were transported by Austin-Travis County EMS. Two people sustained serious injuries, but as of now, all individuals with injuries are in stable condition. A reunification site was established and shared with impacted families directly, and all students have been reunited with their families. Our focus remains on student safety. 

This part of our Leander ISD family has been through so much already this summer with the floods. The tragedy this afternoon is really breaking our hearts. We want each of those students and their families to know that our prayers are with them, our thoughts are with them, and we will do everything we can in our power to support them. And we will be here for all of those students who are affected, their friends, and their families. 

We are working closely with Counseling Services to ensure our students and staff are supported. Additional counselors and social workers will be available at Bagdad Elementary on Thursday, Aug. 14, to assist any student in need of support. 

Our counselors remind us how important it is for students to feel safe expressing their feelings. We encourage families to listen with care, offer understanding, and provide reassurance. Together, we can support our students and help them navigate this difficult time.

Thank you for your patience as we develop further understanding of this situation. Should you need additional support, please do not hesitate to contact Principal de la Garza-Conness and the Bagdad administration team.

Sincerely,

Bruce Gearing, Ed.D.

Leander ISD Superintendent