An alleged drunk driver and the Abilene Christian football team’s bus were involved in a crash late Saturday night that left four people injured, according to reports.
One football player, two coaches and the bus driver suffered minor injuries at the scene of an intersection in Texas and were transported to a local hospital, the school announced.
Parker Young, 19, was arrested and charged with DWI after he disregarded traffic directions and collided with the bus, causing it to crash into another a third vehicle in the left-hand turn lane, police said, according to multiple reports. A police motorcade was set up.
🔴🔵🟡 BREAKING: ABILENE CHRISTIAN FOOTBALL TEAM INVOLVED IN BUS CRASH; 4 INJURED
A 19-year-old driver, under the influence of alcohol, collided with a bus carrying the Abilene Christian football team in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday night.
Four people — a player, two coaches,… pic.twitter.com/P10A9HsWTa
— SVS NEWS AGENCY (@svsnewsagency) September 1, 2024
The bus was at the start of its approximately 170-mile journey from Abilene Christian’s game against Texas Tech in Lubbock back to campus when the accident occurred just shy of midnight local time.
“We are grateful to Texas Tech director of athletics Kirby Hocutt, their team physician, Dr. Michael Phy, and all of the first-responders for their assistance and care,” a statement from Abilene Christian athletics read.
Photos and video posted on Twitter showed a white truck with extensive front-end damage at the scene.
“The thoughts and prayers of Red Raider Nation are with our friends at ACU and those who may have been injured in tonight’s accident,” Texas Tech’s athletics department’s statement read. “Our administration has been in constant contact with ACU’s staff since their departure and will assist wherever needed.”
Texas Tech outlasted Abilene Christian, 52-51, in overtime by stopping a two-conversion attempt that would’ve clinched the upset for the FCS program had it succeeded.
Abilene Christian never led in the game but rallied from an 18-point second-quarter deficit and tied the score with five seconds remaining in regulation.
Abilene Christian plays at West Georgia at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
As of Sunday afternoon, no bond had been set for Young at the Lubbock County Detention Center, per reports.
