Buhl Basket Ball Team’s Bus Involved in Crash

MOUNTAIN HOME, idaho (KTVB) - As Elmore County Chief Deputy Mike Barclay put it Thursday afternoon, the occupants of a school bus and car are "real fortunate" after a school bus collided with a car near Mountain Home.

Authorities were dispatched to the scene at 11:37 a.m., where they found a bus carrying the Buhl boys basketball team pulled off to the side of the road and a white car in that went off the road into the dirt. The bus, carrying 22 young people and coaches, was bound for a state boys basketball tournament matchup with Parma at 3 p.m. at Meridian High School.

According to Barclay, the bus driver attempted to change lanes and clipped a white car in the rear right passenger panel. The car's driver lost control and the vehicle went off the road.

Luckily, it didn't roll over.

"That was some really good driving," Barclay said. "In that soft dirt, (the car) usually rolls over. She kept it straight up."

Two ambulances and a rescue team also responded, but, luckily, no one needed to be transported for treatment.

"We're real lucky," Barclay said.

Although the car had to be towed, damage to the bus was minimal, according to Barclay.

"Unless you knew there was an accident, you couldn't see by looking at the bus," he said.

Although a bus company in the area offered to give the team and its coaches a ride to their game, the driver said he would drive toward Meridian and pull over if there were any mechanical problems.

The team made it to the game and led 30-23 at halftime.

No citations were issued. The collision is under investigation.