Four Students Taken To Hospital After School Bus Overturned: Howard County Police

COLUMBIA, MD — Several Hammond Middle School students were hurt after a school bus overturned in the 7300 block of Old Columbia Road in Columbia Thursday afternoon.

Firefighters and emergency workers arrived on the scene to evaluate students for injuries. According to the Howard County Police Department, no life-threatening injuries were apparent.

Police received the initial call for help around 3:33 p.m. The bus was traveling northbound when it left the roadway for an unknown reason and no other vehicles were involved. There were no indications of driver impairment, the police department reported.

Of the 19 Hammond Middle School students on the bus, two boys and two girls ages 11-14 were taken to the hospital. The driver, a 30-year-old woman, was uninjured. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

According to a message from a school system spokesman, the incident was described as a “significant bus accident.”

Student Zach Delang spoke with WJZ about the incident. He said he was on the bus with his brother.

"It really felt surreal," Zach said. "The bus started shaking, like really violently, and then swerved to the right. We had to open up the door on the roof and everybody got out eventually."

Police say the school bus driver could face a citation. The driver works for a contractor, Zum, used by the Howard County Public School System. The company said in a statement," Getting students to and from school safely is our number one priority. We are working closely with the county and authorities to investigate the accident."