Last Thursday evening, a McCallum High School senior band member, Sadie Swinney, experienced an abrupt end to what should have been an exhilarating night following the McCallum versus Anderson football game. Swinney, along with other band members, was aboard one of the two school buses that were struck by a sedan driven by a suspected drunk driver, later identified as 23-year-old Fallon Ramos. "I remember immediately everybody screamed because it was terrifying," Swinney said in a recount of the collision to CBS Austin.
The Austin Police Department's investigation revealed that Ramos was driving at high rates of speed before she veered into one school bus, hitting it on the side, and then collided head-on with a second McCallum bus. Swinney had hit her face against the seat during the incident, causing her nose to start bleeding. Court documents further note Ramos's admission of consuming a Mexican martini approximately 11 hours before and taking 'one sip' of a margarita while at work. Yet, crash investigator Lee Jackson told CBS Austin, "I don't see how that is possible, to have a sip of a margarita, and in 11 hours to still be impaired."
Ramos is now facing a misdemeanor DWI charge. Texas attorney and former criminal prosecutor, Quentin Brogdon, elucidated the legal perspective to CBS Austin, saying, "The reason a misdemeanor as opposed to a felony charge was brought, was because there was no serious bodily injury that we know of, at least at this time."
Despite the absence of serious physical harm, McCallum High's principal, Andy Baxa, detailed the swift response to the crash that occurred in the 2900 block of North Lamar Boulevard, affirming the timely arrival of additional buses to transport the students safely back to the school. "We are relieved that the incident happened near the stadium and several of our staff and emergency responders were able to respond quickly," Baxa stated in a letter sent to the community and obtained by KVUE.
As reported by KVUE, five students and one bus driver were treated on-site by the Austin Fire Department and Austin Police Department crews. Although no one from the buses required transport by Austin-Travis County EMS, Ramos sustained more significant injuries and was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center for treatment. The investigation into the crash is currently ongoing.
