A tragic collision between a concrete truck and a school bus in Buda, Texas, has claimed the lives of a young boy and a doctoral candidate, and has left the community reeling from the impact. Hays Consolidated Independent School District released harrowing footage of the moment the concrete truck barreled into the path of the school bus, carrying pre-K students returning from their first field trip to the Bastrop Zoo. The videos, which captured the crash from different angles, show the truck veering into the oncoming lane and colliding with the bus on State Highway 21. Five-year-old Ulises Rodriguez Montoya, who was on the bus, and 33-year-old Ryan Wallace, who was driving behind the bus, were fatally injured in the accident that unfolded in less than twenty terrifying seconds.
The dashcam video from the bus driver's perspective, obtained by KXAN, shows the concrete truck, operated by FJM Concrete Pumping LLC, suddenly crossing the double yellow line to disastrously impact the bus. A second video acquired by CBS Austin, offers a view from the side, capturing the response of passersby who quickly rushed to aid the injured, as the cries of children echoed from the wreckage. The audio, removed by the broadcasters to respectfully mute the distressing cries, underscores the chilling nature of the crash. The school district has yet to publicly address the incident.
According to federal records, the small trucking company FJM Concrete Pumping, involved in the incident, was formed in May 2022 by Francisco Martinez Jr. and maintains a clean record with no history of crashes, inspections, or violations. Despite this, the school community has been thrust into mourning and unease, as details surrounding the event continue to emerge. Hector Campos, a parent of one of the students on the bus, conveyed the emotional toll the crash has taken, telling KXAN, "It’s just been an emotional wreck... It’s just very sad. We’re trying to hold it together. But you know, we’re being as positive as we can."
The incident, still under investigation, has forced them to confront anew the community with the fragility of life and the unexpected turns of fate that can upend the ordinary into tragedy. While the videos have to serve to publicly document the events leading up to the crash, they have also captured a testament to the quick-acting compassion of strangers. Drivers stopped and scrambled to the aid of those trapped within the twisted, battered frame of a school bus that was meant to safely shepherd the community's youngest back home.
