A bus transporting the Medina High School girls varsity softball team to a tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., was rear-ended in a massive pileup Sunday afternoon near the Virginia-North Carolina border.
One of the team members reportedly hit her head against the back of her seat and was treated at a local medical facility, Medina City Schools Superintendent Randy Stepp said.
No one else on the bus was injured, he said.
However, three people were killed in other vehicles that were part of the accident caused by excessive fog on southbound Interstate 77 near Fancy Gap, Va., said Corinne Geller, a spokeswoman for the Virginia State Police. The first calls to 911 started coming in about 1:15 p.m. Sunday.
About 100 vehicles were involved and about 25 people had been transported to nearby hospitals for treatment, she said.
Stepp said the Medina team’s coach and the high school’s athletic director had contacted the players’ parents to assure them their children were OK.
The players were at a local motel waiting for another bus to arrive from Akron, Stepp said when contacted Sunday afternoon.
“Everybody is safe and waiting for the bus,” he said.
Players tweeted about the crash Sunday afternoon.
One team member tweeted, “Praying for everyone in this accident and praying that God gives them strength through the loss of their loved ones.”
Medina Fast Pitch said this on its Twitter feed (@medinafastpitch): “An update: Varsity was in a multiple car accident on the way to Myrtle Beach. EVERYONE IS OK! These girls are brave. Thanks for the thoughts.”
Another player posted: “Thankful my team is okay from the awful car crash. Prayers go out to people who died or (were) injured in the crash.”
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.