Salem High football bus crash leaves 25 injured; one remains hospitalized
Overturned bus closes Highway 138 as hospital alerts
A Rockdale County school bus overturned on Old Salem Road in Conyers on Friday night, shutting down Highway 138 near Interstate 20 and prompting an Atlanta children's hospital to prepare for a mass casualty event.
ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. - Only one student remains hospitalized Saturday after a school bus carrying the Salem High School football team overturned near Interstate 20, injuring 25 people late Friday night, according to school and state officials.
Salem High School bus crash
What we know:
A Rockdale County school bus crashed along Highway 138 near Interstate 20 while transporting the Salem High School football team home from an away game. The district confirmed the bus was carrying 27 people when it flipped onto its side.
"A Salem High School bus carrying 17 players, 7 trainers, 2 coaches Fand 1 driver was involved in an accident on Hwy 138 near I-20," the Rockdale County School District said in an initial statement. The crash left the bus with a shattered windshield, heavy front-end damage, and a partially collapsed roof.
A total of 25 people on board suffered injuries during the wreck. First responders airlifted one student to a trauma center, while ambulances and arriving parents transported other students and staff to various area hospitals. On Saturday, school officials confirmed that 24 patients have been treated and released, leaving only one student hospitalized.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, the 74-year-old bus driver lost control while exiting I-20 eastbound, struck a car, and rolled the bus into a ditch along the shoulder.
What we don't know:
District officials have withheld the identity and specific medical condition of the student who remains hospitalized.
The Georgia State Patrol has not announced whether citations or criminal charges will be filed in the incident.
Emergency crews flood the intersection near Salem Road and SR 138 south of Interstate 20 in Rockdale County after an overturned school bus triggered a major multi-agency rescue operation late Friday evening, October 23, 2026 (GDOT / Georgia 511).
Community and hospital response
Local perspective:
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital went on standby for a possible mass casualty event immediately following the accident. First responders cordoned off the corridor near Old Salem Road as a heavy wrecker hoisted the bus from an embankment.
Authorities utilized an adjacent commercial parking lot to stage secondary buses. This served as a reunification point where uninjured students could contact their families and head home safely.
The Source: Information in this article was gathered from the Rockdale County School District, the Georgia State Patrol, and FOX 5 Atlanta on-scene reporting. Editor's Note: This article was updated Saturday, Oct. 24, to reflect revised patient numbers and hospital releases confirmed by district officials.