The bus went off the road in St. Mary's County (YouTube)
John Patrick Kravats, Md. Sex Offender (Photo from the registry online)
CHAPTICO, Md. (WUSA) -- Twenty people, including 15 students, were rushed to the hospital after a pickup truck caused a crash Tuesday night, police said.
The accident happened around 9:23 p.m. at the intersection of Mechanicsville Road and Budds Creek Road in St. Mary's County.
St. Mary's Public School Bus # 650, from Great Mills High School, was fully loaded when it went off the road into the woods. The bus was carrying the Great Mills High School Girls Basketball team and coaches, police said.
"The bus driver was so heroic in his efforts. He did some maneuvers that prevented the bus from tipping over," said Michael Martirano, St. Mary's County Public Schools Superintendent,
It all started when John Patrick Kravats, 45, of Mechanicsville went through a stop sign, while another car was occupying the intersection, police said.
Kravats's pickup truck hit the car (Ford Fusion), causing it to go into the lane where the school bus was traveling. The school bus ended up in the woods. The driver and 13-year-old passenger of the Fusion were taken to the hospital.
Kravats was arrested for DUI.
"I'm very, very bothered by the fact that our students were put in harms way as a result of irresponsible activities," said Martirano.
Kravats is also listed as a registered sex offender in Md. for sexual abuse of a minor.
No one was seriously hurt in the crash, but the bus driver did sustain an injury to his back.
"He was banged up pretty good," said Martirano. "When I spoke with him in the emergency room, he was so emotional. He teared up and his main concern was not for himself, but for the students."
Practice for the Great Mills High School Girls Basketball team was cancelled on Wednesday. The team will resume their routine workouts on Monday.