Apache County, Arizona — A teenager died and four others were injured Sunday morning after a school bus was involved in a three-vehicle collision on Interstate 40 in Apache County .
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said the bus was slowing due to a previous crash involving a commercial vehicle. At that time, a semi-truck reportedly collided with the bus.
A school bus collided with a commercial vehicle on impact.
DPS said 19 people were on the school bus.
One of the passengers, who was a minor, died in the accident. Four other passengers on the bus were seriously injured. DPS did not specify whether these four of hers are also children.
A family member told ABC15 that the child killed was 17-year-old Chiara Alma Gordon, who just had her birthday on July 26.
Gordon’s aunt, Farona Ashley, says Gordon and her brother were on a school trip to Window Rock, Arizona.
The Gordon family is accepting donations through Zelle sent to Fallona Ashley (480-329-8551).
Eastbound I-40 was temporarily closed due to the crash. Eastbound traffic has since resumed, but ADOT is urging drivers to be patient until the delays are resolved.
The victim’s identity has not been officially released by the authorities.
One of the students injured on Sunday was 15-year-old Freedom Chee.
“When I first got the call, I thought of all the ways a cicada could hit a bus. It freaked me out,” said Shira Qi, Freedom’s sister.
“We just recently lost my mother. It was only a few months ago,” said Shyla. “She heard she had been in an accident and she was just traumatized all over.”
Thankfully Freedom is okay, but she and five other Holbrook Indian School students were injured.
Freedom is one of three people still in the hospital.
Shyla said her sister has several fractures in one leg. She said her sister told her that the students were asleep just before the impact, but Freedom woke up to the bleeding on her leg.
“I’m so sorry that the girl who was my sister’s friend passed away,” Shyla said. “We don’t know what to say to each other now.”
Shyla said her sister has had one operation and a second one is due in the next few days.
She believes Liberty will be in the hospital for at least another week.
The crash is under investigation.
Holbrook Indian School posted a statement about the crash on Facebook.
Today is a very sad day for the Holbrook Indian School community. One of his students died and six others were injured in a school bus accident this morning.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, our school bus pulled into traffic near another collision when the bus was hit from behind by a semi-truck. rice field.
The bus was transporting a group of staff and students on a field trip to Window Rock, N.M.
We ask for your patience and respect as we work through this as a school community. We also ask for prayers on behalf of all those affected by this tragedy.
