Corsairs’ Transportation Caught in Flames
On Saturday, Oct. 5, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs’ football team was gearing up to head to their non-conference match against the Compton College Tartars. The Corsairs began their drive on the Interstate 405 southbound freeway early in the afternoon.
However, what might have been an anticipatory pre-game drive took a sudden turn. According to the SMC Director of Public Information, the charter bus transporting the team, provided by Tourcoach Charter & Tours, was caught in a multi-vehicle accident around 4:05 p.m. near the Howard Hughes Parkway exit ramp. The bus involved was one of two that unfortunately caught on fire.
There is no current information on how many vehicles were involved in the crash and which vehicle was at fault. By good luck, Head Coach Kelly Ledwith wasn’t aboard the bus, but he always stays prepared for unexpected events.
“I always drive my own car, either right in front or right behind them,” Ledwith said. “Generally for if there were an emergency at the game.”
The California Highway Patrol arrived on the scene and reported that there were no serious injuries or need of any emergency medical services. The Corsairs were transported back to campus safely.
“They got everybody loaded onto the defensive bus, so overloaded it and just pulled up to the first exit right there and pulled off,” Ledwith said. “There’s a little park right there so they just sat at the park and were waiting.”
One of the buses, in flames, was left on the freeway. Due to the extremity of the fire, the defensive players’ equipment left on board were ruined.
“We lost uniforms, shoulder pads, helmets and personal items that belonged to the student athletes,” said Reggie Ellis, SMC’s Athletic Director.
On Sunday afternoon, a day after the accident, the SMC Center For Wellness held a Zoom meeting for the staff and players involved in the crash. Even though the team experienced a traumatizing event, they are staying positive about the situation.
“It happened, but everybody- fortunately with no injuries, and everybody was able to get off the bus and get back to school safely,” Ellis said.
The match was postponed and has been rescheduled to take place on Nov. 23. For more information about the game, click here.