3 days ago
Documents shed light on Chester County school bus crash that killed 13-year-old
CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — More than 200 pages of records, including a handwritten letter from the school bus driver, have been released to Queen City News as part of a public records request in the ongoing investigation of a deadly Chester County crash.
The crash happened on April 17, when three school buses were bringing students from Pine Ridge Middle School in West Columbia back from a field trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.
Parent whose son was on field trip with fatal I-77 bus crash describes learning of the terrifying moments
A tire blew out on of the buses on I-77 South in Chester County, causing it veer into a guardrail, and flip onto its side. Jose Maria Gonzalez-Linares, 13, a beloved eighth-grader known for his musical talents and warm smile, was killed.
Dozens of others were injured, but all have since been released from hospitals.
Among the newly released documents is a handwritten letter by the bus driver recounting what happened.
'On April 17, 2025, approximately 6:20 a.m., I performed a routine pre-trip inspection on District Bus 12 (D-12),' the driver wrote. 'All tires were checked and concluded to be safe for travel.'
He explained that the buses made the trip to Charlotte and began heading back.
'Somewhere southbound near mile marker 55, I recall passing a semi-truck… I recall hearing a 'Boom' which appeared to come from the front passenger side,' he shared. 'The bus became difficult to steer, and I made contact with a guardrail. This impact caused the bus to flip and land onto its right/passenger side.'
The documents, obtained by Queen City News, include repair records, bus purchase orders, inspection reports, and an itinerary of the field trip.
Some highlights include:
Notes a tire or tire component repair roughly two weeks before the crash
Bus purchase and inspection histories, with previous inspections showing no issues or need for repairs
References a 2024 safety recall affecting buses from model years 2015–2025. It's unclear if the bus involved in the crash was part of this recall
Indicates a towing service was called for a crash on I-26 in Clinton, S.C. It's unclear if it's related
Lists the detailed itinerary of the field trip
Displays the bus driver's written account
Officials have not confirmed whether all the documents directly pertain to the bus involved in the crash. Queen City News has reached out to the Lexington County School District for clarification.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash.
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