Alleged DUI Driver Hits School Bus Carrying GA Football Team

ROME, GA — A Georgia school bus carrying a football team overturned during a crash Thursday night after being hit by a suspected DUI driver in Rome, according to the Georgia State Patrol and school officials.

Rome City Schools officials said the bus was returning from a football scrimmage to Rome High School at the time of the crash.

The GSP told Patch troopers from Post 3 Cartersville responded to the crash, which occurred at 10:50 p.m. at GA-101 and Doc Moates Road.

A Nissan Versa was heading south around a slight curve along GA-101 while a Rome City school bus was going north around a slight curve, the GSP said.

The female driver of the Versa, who was not identified, did not maintain her lane and crossed into the northbound lane, the GSP said. The front of the Versa then hit the bus' drive side rear wheel, the GSP said.

The impact caused the Versa to rotate counterclockwise and sent the car off the west shoulder of the roadway, where it uncontrollably stopped, the GSP said.

The school bus crossed the center line and headed to the west shoulder of the road before overturning and hitting a power pole, the GSP said.

The Versa's driver was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and was arrested, the GSP said.

The GSP did not say how many people were injured, but Fox 5 Atlanta reported three adults and 12 children were taken to the Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center.

Twenty of the 24 people on the school bus were students, the Polk County Standard Journal reported. Students who were taken to the hospital have been released, the news outlet reported.

Polk County School officials said Thursday night's scrimmage was against Rockmart High School.