Truck-Bus Crash Kills 4, Driver Says He Was Distracted
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a tractor-trailer bus crash that happened Friday evening, killing four people and injuring more than a dozen others.
Truck plows into a college softball team's bus. Four killed, more than a dozen injured. http://t.co/z2sWplWowupic.twitter.com/pUwxn9CT02
— WKYC Channel 3 News (@wkyc) September 27, 2014
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a tractor-trailer bus crash that happened Friday evening, killing four people and injuring more than a dozen others.
The incident happened around 9 p.m. along Interstate 35 south of Davis, Oklahoma, about 70 miles south of Oklahoma City near the Texas border.
A northbound tractor-trailer crossed the median, hitting the side of a southbound bus from North Central Texas College that was filled with 15 women’s softball players headed from a scrimmage against Southern Nazarene University, in Bethany, Oklahoma. The Texas college is located just south of the Oklahoma border in Gainesville.
Three of those on board died at the scene, a fourth death happening at a nearby hospital. All were between 18 and 20 years old. Two others remained at the hospital as of Sunday afternoon in fair to critical condition. Nine players, along with the coach who was driving the bus, were treated at various hospitals and released.
The driver of the truck, 53 year-old Russell Staley of Saginaw, Texas, was treated at a hospital and released. He was working for Quickway Transportation of Nashville, Tennessee, according to published reports, and was driving a 2013 Peterbilt.
The Associated Press reported on Sunday he told investigators that he may have been distracted by something in his truck just before the crash happened. However, investigators do not necessarily agree with his explanation of how the incident unfolded.
The sky was reportedly clear at the time of the crash and the road condition was dry, according to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. There's no indication he tried to make evasive maneuvers before the crash, according to investigators.
Both the bus and truck driver will undergo toxicology tests to determine if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.
The Highway Patrol is investigating the crash as a homicide, and results will be turned over to a local prosecutor who will decide if criminal charges are to be filed.
A statement on the Quickway Transportation website offered condolences for the families of those killed and prayers for a full recovery of those hospitalized.
“We will continue to fully cooperate with Oklahoma State Patrol, the National Transportation Safety Board, and other authorities in their investigation of this tragedy.”
An AP review of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records shows the company has not been involved in a fatal accident during the past two years, nor has it faced federal safety penalties in at least six years. Quickway has 327 trucks, 611 trailers and 436 drivers, according to the federal records.
Its driver out of service rate is 1.1% compared to a national average of 5.5% while its vehicle out of service rate is 7.4% compared to a national average of 20.7%.
Of Quickway’s 51 violations recorded in the past 24-month period, 13 were for failing to wear a seatbelt, the highest number of specific violations. There were two instances of using a handheld mobile device while driving. During that same period, there were no drug or alcohol violations.
More Drivers

Why Hiring Truck Drivers Is Getting Harder
Higher recruiting costs, a shrinking driver pool, and renewed pay competition are raising the stakes for fleets heading into 2027.
Read More →
Roehl Offers Truck Drivers $10,000 Retention Incentive
Payments begin after the first load and continue in mileage-based installments for eligible experienced drivers joining the fleet.
Read More →
Platform Science Adds Dispatch and Safety Tools
Four additions to PS Fleet help fleets monitor loads, manage driver coaching, share truck locations and adjust video system settings.
Read More →
When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders
English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.
Read More →
Samsara Launches Custom AI Agent Builder
Agent Studio lets fleets create AI tools for hours-of-service monitoring, reporting and driver support, including agents that communicate by phone.
Read More →
Trucker Path Expands Reserved Parking Network
Trucker Path has added close to 6,000 more truck parking spaces to its Trucker Path Reserved Parking Network with the addition of Safe Truck Parking.
Read More →
EEOC Sues Texas Trucking Company Over Driver Age Limits
The agency says Trancasa USA rejected applicants over 65 and applied tougher driving-record standards to those over 60.
Read More →
Nussbaum, Roehl Announce Second Driver Pay Increase This Year
This year has seen a swath of major truck driver pay increases as freight capacity has tightened.
Read More →
From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers
After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.
Read More →
Truck Drivers Need More Than Another Alert
Fleets have more visibility into truck health, safety events, and driver activity than ever. The next challenge is turning all that information into useful guidance for the person who has to decide what to do next.
Read More →
