The sponsor of a cheerleading squad at a Texas high school was killed and several cheerleaders were injured when a semitrailer truck crashed into a small bus that was bringing the cheerleaders home from an out-of-town football game.
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reports that the small activity bus from Iraan High School was headed home Friday night after a victorious playoff football game against Munday in Colorado City when it was hit on Interstate 20 near Big Spring.
The eastbound semitractor-trailer lost control trying to avoid hitting a car that had slammed on its brakes. The semitrailer then veered across the center median into the westbound lanes and hit the bus. The road had been wet because of rainy conditions, police say
The sponsor who died was identified as Elizabeth Pope, 52, of Iraan. She also ran a computer lab in the district's elementary school, district officials say.
Seven injured people—six cheerleaders aged 14 to 17, and another cheerleader sponsor, 48—were taken to hospitals in Big Spring and Lubbock. Four had been treated and released; three were still hospitalized in satisfactory condition.
Iraan High School has 125 students, and the Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District has about 550 students. Iraan, a community of about 1,240 people, is about 80 miles south of Midland.
The New York Times, which had a reporter covering the Iraan-Munday football game, has an extensive article about the crash and the events leading up to it.
