DENTON, TX — A Sanger ISD student died Thursday after a school bus overturned in Denton, authorities and the district said. Texas Department of Public Safety officials said the 13-year-old student died at a local hospital from injuries suffered in the crash.
The bus was carrying four students and the driver when it went off the roadway, struck a culvert and rolled over. Three other students and driver Jesse Padgett, 38, were not injured.
Sanger ISD said it was heartbroken by the loss and promised to continue working with law enforcement and emergency personnel as the investigation moves forward.
Bus veered off roadway at Huling Road and Lois Road East
The crash happened Thursday, Sept. 24, at Huling Road and Lois Road East in Denton, according to Sanger Police and Sanger Fire. Emergency crews responded after reports of a vehicle overturned at the intersection.
FOX 4 flew over the scene and saw a Sanger ISD bus lying on its side. Texas DPS later said the bus had been traveling northbound before it left the road, hit a culvert and overturned.
Officials have not publicly said what caused the bus to veer off the roadway. The crash remains under investigation by Texas DPS.
District says the child died despite hospital care
Late Thursday, Sanger ISD confirmed that one student had died in the accident. Texas DPS said the student was taken to a local hospital, where the injuries proved fatal.
The district did not identify the child or say which Sanger ISD campus the student attended. Those details have not been released by officials.
In its statement, the district said the bus carried one driver and four students, and that no other students were hurt. The district also asked the community to keep the family and others affected in their thoughts.
Driver Jesse Padgett and three students were unhurt
Authorities said the bus driver, Jesse Padgett, 38, was not injured in the rollover. The three other students on board also escaped without physical injuries, officials said.
The fact that the crash involved only one vehicle does not reduce the seriousness of the investigation, which remains centered on how the bus left the roadway and overturned. Texas DPS is leading that work and has said more information will come later.
Sanger ISD said it is coordinating with law enforcement and emergency personnel as it responds to the tragedy.
Sanger ISD says it is sharing information with families
In a statement, Sanger ISD said it would provide additional information to families as soon as it becomes available and is appropriate to release. The district said it was grieving alongside the student’s family and everyone affected by the crash.
The district also said DPS would handle the investigation and release more details at the proper time. That approach leaves open several unanswered questions, including the reason the bus overturned and the sequence of events before impact.
For now, officials have confirmed the death of one student, the injuries were limited to that victim, and the rest of the passengers were not harmed.
Texas leaders respond online after the fatal crash
After the death was confirmed, Texas leaders posted messages on social media reacting to the loss. Their comments added to the public response as families in the district and across North Texas learned what had happened.
No name has been released for the student, and no timetable has been given for when DPS may provide additional findings. The crash has left the district, investigators and the community waiting for answers.
What is known so far is limited to the basics: a Sanger ISD bus overturned in Denton, one student died, and the remaining passengers were not injured.
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