Multiple people, including high school students, injured in crash involving school activity bus in Denver metro area
Police are investigating a crash in the Denver metro area involving a school activity bus they say involves multiple injuries.
According to the Lakewood Police Department, the bus and another vehicle were involved in a crash at W. 6th Avenue and Kipling Street around 8 p.m.
Officials with Mesa County Valley School District 51 in Grand Junction confirmed the crash involved a school activity bus and that their students were involved. The district said the bus was carrying students on the men's wrestling team and coaches from Central High School following a wrestling tournament in the Denver area. They said that all of the students and coaching staff on board were taken to area hospitals.
Police closed the southbound lanes of Kipling Street, starting at 8th Avenue, and the northbound lanes starting at the Federal Center for several hours while they worked the scene.
Reports of the number of people involved have varied between agencies as the investigation continues and officials piece together what happened.
On Sunday, West Metro Fire Rescue said it took 14 people to local hospitals. Five were in critical condition, and nine had non-critical injuries. A spokesperson for West Metro said they didn't yet know the ages of the injured or who was in which vehicle, but said there were four people in the SUV.
In an update Sunday afternoon, the LPD said "one or more" people were ejected in the crash. They said the department will not be releasing further information on the injuries or conditions of those involved at this time. The department's traffic unit is working to determine if speed and/or alcohol contributed to the crash, they added.
The school district provided an update Sunday afternoon, stating that of the 13 students and two coaches involved, three students and one member of the coaching staff remain in the hospital. The other team members have been reunited with their families.
School officials said the team couldn't return home to Grand Junction due to weather conditions, causing pass closures on Saturday night. The team planned to stay in the Denver metro area until conditions improved.
Due to misinformation online, D51 is urging the public not to share unconfirmed reports.