Parent describes moments before school bus crash
By Christina Solano and Joshua Davis
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ALAMANCE COUNTY, North Carolina (WXII) — A parent was driving behind a school bus when it crashed in Alamance County Thursday morning.
“All of a sudden, the rear of the bus just slid one side,” parent Berny Prado said.
Prado’s children were on the school bus on the way to B. Everett Jordan Elementary School when the driver crashed into a building on Highway 87.
Prado and a neighbor were driving when they noticed something wasn’t right.
“I guess the bus driver tried to control it but you know, he couldn’t. So that’s when he went off to the grass and, you know, hit the ditch and, you know, then he hit the building. So that’s when I noticed that, you know, there was the accident and the bus number. And there’s the bus my kids ride,” Prado said.
Prado says his mind went blank, and he jumped into action along with other people who saw the crash, “I tried to open the door, but it was, you know, against the safety lock. I couldn’t. So I went to the back, and there was an emergency door.”
Six students were hurt, according to the school system.
“We’re standing and started seeing the kids, you know, everywhere blood on their face and you know, started taking them and told them to calm down. They did. And I was starting taking them one by one out,” Prado said.
He also tried to help the bus driver, identified by Highway Patrol as Rondald Farrow, 75. He’s charged with failure to maintain lane control.
Prado said Farrow has been driving his kids to school for years, and he doesn’t blame Farrow for what happened, “accidents happen. There’s nothing to blame; you know him, you know, he tried to do his best.”
Farrow had minor injuries, but the school district and Prado said Farrow stayed with the students.
Prado says his kids are okay.
“You’re thankful that they were there at the right time at the right place,” Prado said.
Alamance-Burlington schools said it is offering support at the school for the students.
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