Saturday’s Indiana High School Athletic Association gymnastics regional was postponed after a school bus carrying the New Castle gymnastics team was involved in a head-on collision.
The bus carrying New Castle gymnasts and coaches collided head-on with a Ford SUV a little after 9:00 a.m.
All the gymnasts were checked by paramedics at the scene and released. An assistant coach was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital with rib pain. The driver of the SUV was airlifted to IU Methodist Hospital after being extricated from his vehicle.
"Everyone's OK," New Castle coach Tina Hittson told the Star Press. "The angels were with us and we were all able to walk away, so we're all good."
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Gymnasts and Coaches from New Castle HS. Bus accident this AM on their way to IHSAA Regional completion. Meet postponed until Monday 7:00 pm. pic.twitter.com/YZSlx1EXai
— Sandra Walter (@sandrawalter41) March 7, 2020
Columbus East athletic director Pete Huse was in constant contact with IHSAA assistant commissioner Sandra Walter to decide on the the best course of action regarding the meet, which was originally scheduled at 1 p.m.
"The other schools involved, the workers, the judges, I mean everyone involved was very understanding, incredibly cooperative," Huse said. "We just really wanted to make sure New Castle felt supported and we wanted to make sure that they would have the best chance to compete following something as dramatic as this."
