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Bus Carrying Bellevue High Football Team Crashes On I-5

Posted: 11:19 am PST November 28, 2008Updated: 12:23 pm PST December 1, 2008

A bus carrying members of the Bellevue High School football team overturned on Interstate 5 Friday morning as the team was heading to a playoff game in Tacoma.

The bus crashed in the southbound lanes of I-5 at South 216th Street. The scene blocked two lanes of southbound I-5, backing up traffic.

SLIDESHOW: Crash Leaves Bus On Its Side

Trooper Cliff Pratt said an unidentified vehicle lost a ladder on the freeway, causing several vehicles to swerve out of the way. The resulting collision included a charter bus with the Bellevue team, a semi-truck and two passenger vehicles.

Officials said 38 people were on the bus, including a coach who was ejected from the vehicle. He was not seriously hurt.

Another bus carrying members of the team made it safely to the Tacoma Dome, where Bellevue was to play Capital in the state 3A semifinals. The game has been rescheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. at Harry Lang stadium in Lakewood.

Chopper 7 video showed numerous football players being loaded onto backboards and stretchers.

Ten people were taken to hospitals. One adult and one player were transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Eight other players were taken to Valley Medical Center, said KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Monique Ming Laven.

All the injuries are minor, Ming Laven said.

Chopper 7 video showed a Metro bus taking the football players who were not hurt south on I-5.