Overturned Salem High School Bus Sends Twenty Five People to Hospitals After Late Night Rockdale County Crash Near Interstate 20

CONYERS, GA — An overturned Rockdale County Public Schools bus carrying the Salem High School football program sent 25 people to area hospitals late Friday night after a crash near Salem Road and Highway 138. The bus was returning from an away football game when it left the roadway and rolled onto its side, triggering a large emergency response in Rockdale County.

Officials said 27 people were on board when the district bus crashed. That total included student-athletes, trainers, coaches and the driver. All passengers have been accounted for, and no fatalities were reported. Emergency crews treated the scene as a major incident, with first responders moving students and staff to multiple hospitals and using a separate parking lot as a reunification point for families.

Georgia State Patrol says the bus crossed traffic while turning off Interstate 20

The Georgia State Patrol said the crash happened at 10:48 p.m. Friday as a yellow 2025 Freightliner school bus exited Interstate 20 eastbound and attempted a right turn onto State Route 138. Investigators said the driver, 74-year-old Walter Hackett of Conyers, lost control and crossed all lanes of traffic.

According to the patrol, the bus struck a black Kia Soul driven by 35-year-old Calvin Harling of Covington in the left northbound lane. The impact spun the Kia 180 degrees. The bus then ran off the east shoulder, rotated nearly all the way around and came to rest on its passenger side against a construction barrier.

Students and staff were rushed to several hospitals after the rollover

Rockdale County Public Schools said 22 students and three staff members were transported for medical treatment after the crash. Emergency officials said some students were already taken to hospitals by parents, while others were taken by ambulance. At least one student was flown by Life Flight to an area hospital.

Both Hackett and Harling were also taken for treatment. Officials later said the school district and National EMS were working together to build a complete list of the students, injuries and the hospitals involved. The district said every person aboard the bus had been located by the time the initial response was winding down.

District leaders and coaches spent the night locating families and checking on injuries

Rockdale County Public Schools said school and administrative staff went to hospitals right away to help families and check on the well-being of those involved. Chief community relations officer Cindy Ball said the district was thankful there were no fatalities and said many of those transported had already been treated and released.

Salem High School head coach Fredrick Green survived the crash and was said to be doing okay. He was also working to figure out which hospitals had received the affected team members. The district posted a message on Facebook expressing support for the players, trainers, coaches, staff members and families impacted by the accident.

Emergency crews staged buses and a hospital prepared for a mass casualty response

The crash drew a heavy response from emergency crews, who cordoned off the area near Old Salem Road and used a heavy wrecker to lift the bus from the embankment. Officials also used a nearby commercial parking lot to stage replacement buses and organize the return of uninjured students.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital went on standby for a possible mass casualty event after the collision. Images from the scene showed crews working around the overturned bus as they managed the traffic and recovery operation. The response reflected the size of the crash and the number of students and adults who needed immediate attention.

The crash remains under investigation as the school community begins to recover

Investigators are still working to determine exactly what led to the rollover. Georgia State Patrol has not announced a final cause, and district officials said they will continue sharing information as it becomes available. For now, the focus remains on the recovery of the injured students and staff.

The district said it is continuing to support families and coordinate with hospitals. Officials have said there were no deaths, but the crash still sent many members of the Salem High School football program to medical facilities across the region. The investigation will determine what happened in the moments after the bus left Interstate 20 and entered the Highway 138 intersection.