Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Local News


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published April 16, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified April 17, 2008 at 2:02 AM

E-mail article     Print view

Garfield High softball bus crashes in arboretum

A bus carrying Garfield High School's softball team crashed in the Lake Washington Arboretum just after 6 p.m. today, causing dozens of minor injuries, according to Seattle police.

Seattle Times staff reporters

A bus carrying Garfield High School's varsity and junior varsity softball teams crashed in the Lake Washington Arboretum just after 6 p.m. today, causing minor injuries, according to Seattle police.

The private touring bus apparently was too tall for a 9-foot concrete underpass in the 2100 block of Lake Washington Boulevard East, near the Highway 520 onramp.

"All of a sudden, you hear this scraping, awful noise," said Sigrid Williams, 17, a softball player who had been on board. She said her head slammed into the seat in front of her when the bus crashed.

Five of the girls were taken immediately by ambulances to Harborview Medical Center with neck and back pain, according to the Seattle Fire Department.

The remaining 19 passengers were later taken to Harborview for evaluation. There were 22 high-school softball players, a coach and a driver on board at the time of the accident.

The front right side of the white bus was completely crushed. The windshield had shattered, and some of the side panels were broken off. The foot bridge that the bus hit was marked with a "Low Clearance" sign.

The driver, who refused to give his name, said he has been driving for a year and a half for Journey Lines, a Lynnwood-based charter bus company.

Steve Abegg, a spokesman for Journey Lines, said driving through the arboretum is not a normal route.

"We're cooperating with authorities and completing a thorough investigation. We'll release a statement when we have it," he said.

A tow truck removed the damaged bus from the accident scene just after 7:30 p.m.

The softball team was traveling back to the Garfield High School campus from a game against Lake Washington High School at Crestwoods Park in Kirkland. Garfield lost the game 10-0.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Local News headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

Only 462 votes separate candidates in mayor's race

Gay-rights support stops at Cascades

Jerry Large: Citizenship means being involved

'You should be proud,' Haq told mother after shootings

County executive-elect Constantine names team

Advertising

Video

Election Night: Approve R-71
Supporters of Referendum 71 react to early poll results at Pravda on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Election Night: Reject R-71
Election Night: Joe Mallahan
Election Night: Mike McGinn
Election Night: Susan Hutchison
Election Night: Dow Constatine
Candlelight vigil for Officer Brenton
Flying Elephant on Aurora
Rescue unit trains for possible Green River flooding
Woodstick Big Beat

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising