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1 hospitalized, 26 released after bus crash

Posted at 3:03 PM, Mar 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-20 21:16:37-04

DEMOTTE, Ind. --A bus carrying the Griffith High School boys basketball team overturned on I-65 as it was traveling to Lafayette.

The crash happened near Demotte, Indiana in Jasper County. According to the Indiana State Police, Dominique Small, 23, of Terre Haute, was driving next to the bus when the lid of her drink came off. She attempted to grab the drink, lost control of her car and side swiped the bus. 

The bus was carrying 21 students and six adults. 

"Sadly, several of our players and coaches were injured in the accident," Superintendent Peter Morikis said in a statement. 

Everyone who was on the bus was taken to one of three local hospitals. 20 students have been released as well as three coaches, the team trainer, a ball boy and the bus driver.

Freshman Boys Basketball Coach David Garrett, who was originally taken to Riverside Medical Center, was airlifted to the University of Chicago Hospital with non life-threatening injuries. He is now at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois in stable condition. 

"Our hearts are heavy today. What began with excitement - as the fulfillment of a dream to play in the semi-state tournament - has ended tragically. We are praying today for members of our Griffith school family, who have been injured. I would like to thank the Good Samaritan who stopped on his way to a funeral in Wisconsin to check on the condition of our team," Morikis said in the statement. 

The team was scheduled to play in the boys basketball semi-state game at 4:00 p.m. The team will now play Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Lafayette Jefferson High School.