OU softball coach Patty Gasso to Minco softball team: ‘We are here for you’: Live updates

Several members of Minco’s softball team remain hospitalized after their bus hit a deer and rolled over on their trip home from a game.

The bus crash injured at least seven people including the driver, according to a preliminary report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Many details about the crash, which happened just before 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8, remain under investigation.

The crash happened along State Highway 152, just west of Minco.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Mark Southall said Tuesday morning that the injured included both adults and juveniles. The initial OHP accident report lists the driver as 38-year-old Cody Schmidt, who has been the softball coach and teacher at Minco Public Schools since 2023. Seven of the 18 people on board were injured, OHP reported, including the driver.

Troopers initially were unsure about how many people were on board the bus when it crashed because some parents had picked up their children before the OHP arrived. Southall noted that due to this, individuals may have left with guardians to seek treatment, so there could be more injured individuals that they do not have a record of.

“We don’t believe those that were taken from the scene before we got there were serious, but we are working to contact those and find out the extent of their injuries,” Southall said.

Southall said the early investigation showed five individuals were ejected from the bus. Four of those ejected were juveniles and are now in stable condition, Southall said. An adult who was ejected is in critical, life-threatening condition at an Oklahoma City hospital.

Earlier statements from Southall had differing numbers which he further explained was a matter of obtaining information over time.

“The discrepancy is just simply trying to sort through all these moments after this collision has happened. So if we made a mistake there, I apologize; the numbers I’m giving you are accurate as of now,” Southall said Tuesday afternoon.

Superintendent Kevin Sims said that the bus was only equipped with seatbelts for the bus driver, and not for passengers.

Most Oklahoma school buses do not have them. A bill that would have required all new school buses to have seatbelts died in committee in the 2025 legislative session earlier this year.

The injured were being treated at Oklahoma City area hospitals. According to a notice from OHP, the highway and County Road 2760 were closed at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, and reopened just before midnight.

Minco Superintendent Kevin Sims posted on the school’s Facebook page that the crash involved the Minco softball team and that the school would be closed on Tuesday.

“Please keep these student-athletes, coaches, and their families in your prayers,” Sims posted.

OU softball coach Patty Gasso responds to Minco bus crash

Team USA and OU softball head coach Patty Gasso posted on social media Tuesday night offering her support to the Minco community.

“Heartbroken for Minco Softball,” Gasso posted on X. “Our OU Softball family is praying over every player, coach, and family. Grateful for the first responders and medical teams. Stay strong Minco- we are here for you!”

– Jeff Patterson

Minco cancels remainder of high school, junior high softball seasons

In an updated posted to Facebook Tuesday afternoon, Minco Superintendent Kevin Sims said the school would not be finishing the high school and junior high fall softball seasons.

Sims also said school would resume on Wednesday, Sept. 10, after classes were canceled Tuesday.

“Life is fragile — hold tightly to your loved ones,” Sims posted. “We feel your prayers and support, and we ask that you continue lifting up our student-athletes, coaches, and their families as they recover.”

– Ryan Sharp

OKCPS superintendent addresses Minco bus crash

At a ribbon-cutting event for a new aviation lab at Southeast High School on Tuesday morning, Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Jamie Polk opened her comments by saying her thoughts and prayers were with people in Minco.

“Across this state, we want to acknowledge Minco softball after their recent bus crash,” Polk said. “I have to pause and say that we stand with them right now. A superintendent’s biggest fear is when you send your kids off, so I want to acknowledge that.”

– Murray Evans

10-plus agencies responded to Minco bus crash

The Union City Fire Department on Tuesday posted a thank you message to other agencies that assisted in responding to the bus crash.

Union City is just six miles north of Minco along U.S. Highway 81.

Agencies that responded, according to the Minco Fire Department:

• Fire departments: Minco, Cogar and Union City

• EMS agencies: Pafford, El Reno, Tuttle, Chickasha and AMR

• Law enforcement: Grady County Sheriff’s Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Union City Police Department and the Minco Police Department.

– Ryan Sharp

Student on Minco bus: ‘First thing I remember…was just everyone crying’

Presley Bilderback, a sophomore on the high school team, told The Oklahoman that she wasn’t looking at the road but remembers the bus hitting something.

“We swerved for a while, then I remember flipping on the bus,” Bilderback said. “I tried to hold on my best, and the first thing I remember when it stopped was just everyone crying.”

After calling her mom and talking to someone from the emergency alert app Life360, Presley climbed out of the bus and looked around to see her teammates and coaches on the ground, some seriously injured.

“Since I didn’t have any head or neck injuries, I checked on other people,” she said.

Presley’s mom Julie Bilderback said she got an immediate notification from Life360 that something was wrong. Julie drove straight to the crash site from El Reno, and saw that her daughter was one of only two from the bus that were able to stand up and walk around.

All of the adults on board were incapacitated by the crash, she said.

“It was like a war zone. It was bloody. The kids were bleeding from their heads,” Julie told The Oklahoman the morning after the crash.

– Dale Denwalt

Gov. Kevin Stitt, State Superintendent Ryan Walters react to bus crash

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt expressed his support for the families involved in the Minco bus crash on Tuesday.

“My hear breaks for the families in Minco, OK, who are facing unthinkable fear and uncertainty after last night’s rollover bus crash,” Stitt posted on Facebook.

“I just spoke with Minco Superintendent Kevin Sims to offer prayers and supports — Oklahoma is with them!”

State Superintendent Ryan Walters posted to social media that he also was praying for the team and the families affected.

“We are working with the school district to ensure students have the support they need,” Walters posted.

– Ryan Sharp

Minco officials: ‘We stand together as one community, one family

Officials with the City of Minco shared the news of the bus crash on Facebook Tuesday morning.

“Our hearts are with the Minco Softball girls, their families, and coaches today and the days to come as we hope to hear great news following a terrible accident.”

“It has been a scary evening for our whole community. In Minco, we are more than a town, we are a family. When one of us hurts, we all hurt. As it is already happening, the community has wrapped its arms around these girls and their loved ones with love, prayers, and support.”

“Please keep them close in your hearts as we stand together as one community, one family.”

– Ryan Sharp

Where is Minco, Oklahoma?

Minco is located about 40 miles southwest of Oklahoma City in Grady County. It is about 15 miles south of El Reno along U.S. Highway 81.

Census data shows Minco’s population is around 1,500 people.

The softball team competes in Class 2A.

– Ryan Sharp

Sen. James Lankford: ‘Praying for our neighbors”

James Lankford, Oklahoma’s senior U.S. Senator, posted on X (formerly Twitter) Monday night, saying he and his wife were praying for Minco.

“Cindy and I join all of Oklahoma in praying for our neighbors in Minco tonight,” Lankford posted. “May God give healing and comfort to each of the players and passengers, their families, and the entire community.”

– Ryan Sharp

Report: Players ejected during rollover crash

KFOR is reporting that several players were ejected in the crash.

Those injured were being transported to area hospitals.

– Ryan Sharp

Softball teams, schools post support for Minco on social media

– Ryan Sharp

Minco softball played in Riverside Monday

The Minco softball team was on its way back from playing at Riverside Monday night. Riverside is just north of Anadarko in southwest Oklahoma.

– Ryan Sharp

Report: 13 people on board bus that crashed

Grady County Sheriff Gary Boggess told KOCO-5 there were 13 people on board and several were injured, some critical. The bus was the only vehicle involved.

The coach was among the injured and was also the team’s driver, KOCO reported. There was no immediate confirmation on what team the bus was carrying.

Minco is about 40 miles southwest of Oklahoma City in Grady County.

– Ray Rivera

This is a developing story.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OK school bus crash: Live updates on crash that injured softball team