Post by Todd B on Mar 2, 2007 14:20:38 GMT -5
Thoughts and prayers go out to the Jim and Tim, and the Berta and McMonagle families.
Two Ida graduates survive bus crash in Atlanta
www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070302/NEWS01/103020038
By: Ray Kisonas story updated March 02. 2007 11:40AM
Two Ida High School graduates and members of a college baseball team survived a charter bus accident in Atlanta this morning when the bus plunged off an overpass, killing six and injuring many others.
Jimmy McMonagle, 21, a 2004 Ida graduate, was fine, his family said. However, Tim Berta, 22, a 2003 Ida graduate, suffered undetermined injuries.
"He's alive, that's all we know," his father, Rob Berta, said this morning.
"We don't know a whole lot. We're still waiting."
The two college students were members of the Bluffton University baseball team, which was on its way to Florida for a tournament when the bus plunged off a highway ramp and rolled several times.
Six people, including four students, were confirmed killed and at least 19 others were injured, several seriously, officials said this morning. Up to 35 people were aboard the bus.
Mr. McMonagle, who was sitting toward the rear of the bus, suffered only a bruise on his arm, his mother, Debbie Brannan, said this morning.
"He's fine," she said. "He walked away from the accident. We're just so thankful."
Mr. Berta said his son was in Grady Memorial Hospital where doctors performed some type of procedure.
"We're still waiting," he said.
The bus, carrying the team from Bluffton University, a Mennonite-affiliated school south of Toledo, toppled off the Northside Drive bridge onto I-75 in clear, pre-dawn weather, Atlanta police spokesman Joe Cobb said. Sports equipment was scattered across the road.
Family members of Mr. Berta were anxiously awaiting any word about his condition this morning. Cathy Griffith, principal at Ida High, said she knows both former students and many in the community and school have some connection to them.
"It's just a tragedy," Mrs. Griffith said. "We're a small town. Everybody knows everybody. Our hearts go out to the families."
Mrs. Brannan said she and her husband were awakened about 6 a.m. today when their son called to tell them there had been a terrible accident. She said his roommate and several of his close friends on the team were okay, but he was shaken about the deaths of several of his teammates.
"He said 'people are hurt all over the place,'" Mrs. Brannan said. "A lot of people were injured. His coach was in rough shape."
The school canceled classes today. The team was scheduled to play its first game of the season in Sarasota, Fla., on Saturday against Eastern Mennonite College of Harrisonburg, Va. The team had eight games scheduled in Fort Myers, Fla., beginning Monday for the five-day Gene Cusic Classic.
Police said the bus was headed south on I-75 and the bus driver may not have planned to exit the interstate. He may have mistaken a car pool exit ramp for the regular car pool lane that continues down the interstate.
When the bus went off the bridge, it landed in the southbound lanes of the interstate, blocking all four lanes. Five fire trucks and at least three dozen firefighters were at the scene.
"It's bad, I know that," Mr. Cobb said. "It's hard to describe. The bus is completely annihilated."
Firefighters pulled people through the roof of the bus, which was on its side. Sports equipment was scattered along the interstate.
In Bluffton, Pastor Steve Yoder with the First Mennonite Church said the university has close ties to the community and that the tragedy would have a heavy impact.
"Bluffton University is very involved in the community. It's a Christian college and a lot of students come with faith backgrounds," he said. "It really impacts the whole community. There are a lot of connections."
Bluffton clergy were organizing a campus gathering today to give students a venue to express their feelings about the crash, the Rev. Yoder said.
Mr. McMonagle was an outstanding athlete at Ida. He was a guard on the football team and an outfielder and occasional pitcher on the baseball team. He is the son of Debbie Brannan and the stepson of Matt Brannan.
Mr. Berta had a stellar athletic and academic career at Ida. For Bluffton he played football and baseball for the Beavers until injuring his shoulder last fall two games into the football season. He started the first two Bluffton football games at wide receiver and had two catches for 19 yards. He has played three seasons on the baseball team.
He was a three-sport standout at Ida, earning All-Region honors as a baseball catcher and as a defensive back in football. He led the Monroe County Region with six interceptions as a senior, including three in one game. He also earned the Scholar-Athlete Award from the Toledo chapter of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame.
He is the son of Robert and Karen Berta. In a 2003 interview with The Evening News, Mr. Berta said he was pursuing a career in either therapy or medicine.
"I've always been interested in how the mind works and how people think," he said in the interview. "I've always wanted to do something in the medical field, to help people."
Evening News sports writer Jeff Meade and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Two Ida graduates survive bus crash in Atlanta
www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070302/NEWS01/103020038
By: Ray Kisonas story updated March 02. 2007 11:40AM
Two Ida High School graduates and members of a college baseball team survived a charter bus accident in Atlanta this morning when the bus plunged off an overpass, killing six and injuring many others.
Jimmy McMonagle, 21, a 2004 Ida graduate, was fine, his family said. However, Tim Berta, 22, a 2003 Ida graduate, suffered undetermined injuries.
"He's alive, that's all we know," his father, Rob Berta, said this morning.
"We don't know a whole lot. We're still waiting."
The two college students were members of the Bluffton University baseball team, which was on its way to Florida for a tournament when the bus plunged off a highway ramp and rolled several times.
Six people, including four students, were confirmed killed and at least 19 others were injured, several seriously, officials said this morning. Up to 35 people were aboard the bus.
Mr. McMonagle, who was sitting toward the rear of the bus, suffered only a bruise on his arm, his mother, Debbie Brannan, said this morning.
"He's fine," she said. "He walked away from the accident. We're just so thankful."
Mr. Berta said his son was in Grady Memorial Hospital where doctors performed some type of procedure.
"We're still waiting," he said.
The bus, carrying the team from Bluffton University, a Mennonite-affiliated school south of Toledo, toppled off the Northside Drive bridge onto I-75 in clear, pre-dawn weather, Atlanta police spokesman Joe Cobb said. Sports equipment was scattered across the road.
Family members of Mr. Berta were anxiously awaiting any word about his condition this morning. Cathy Griffith, principal at Ida High, said she knows both former students and many in the community and school have some connection to them.
"It's just a tragedy," Mrs. Griffith said. "We're a small town. Everybody knows everybody. Our hearts go out to the families."
Mrs. Brannan said she and her husband were awakened about 6 a.m. today when their son called to tell them there had been a terrible accident. She said his roommate and several of his close friends on the team were okay, but he was shaken about the deaths of several of his teammates.
"He said 'people are hurt all over the place,'" Mrs. Brannan said. "A lot of people were injured. His coach was in rough shape."
The school canceled classes today. The team was scheduled to play its first game of the season in Sarasota, Fla., on Saturday against Eastern Mennonite College of Harrisonburg, Va. The team had eight games scheduled in Fort Myers, Fla., beginning Monday for the five-day Gene Cusic Classic.
Police said the bus was headed south on I-75 and the bus driver may not have planned to exit the interstate. He may have mistaken a car pool exit ramp for the regular car pool lane that continues down the interstate.
When the bus went off the bridge, it landed in the southbound lanes of the interstate, blocking all four lanes. Five fire trucks and at least three dozen firefighters were at the scene.
"It's bad, I know that," Mr. Cobb said. "It's hard to describe. The bus is completely annihilated."
Firefighters pulled people through the roof of the bus, which was on its side. Sports equipment was scattered along the interstate.
In Bluffton, Pastor Steve Yoder with the First Mennonite Church said the university has close ties to the community and that the tragedy would have a heavy impact.
"Bluffton University is very involved in the community. It's a Christian college and a lot of students come with faith backgrounds," he said. "It really impacts the whole community. There are a lot of connections."
Bluffton clergy were organizing a campus gathering today to give students a venue to express their feelings about the crash, the Rev. Yoder said.
Mr. McMonagle was an outstanding athlete at Ida. He was a guard on the football team and an outfielder and occasional pitcher on the baseball team. He is the son of Debbie Brannan and the stepson of Matt Brannan.
Mr. Berta had a stellar athletic and academic career at Ida. For Bluffton he played football and baseball for the Beavers until injuring his shoulder last fall two games into the football season. He started the first two Bluffton football games at wide receiver and had two catches for 19 yards. He has played three seasons on the baseball team.
He was a three-sport standout at Ida, earning All-Region honors as a baseball catcher and as a defensive back in football. He led the Monroe County Region with six interceptions as a senior, including three in one game. He also earned the Scholar-Athlete Award from the Toledo chapter of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame.
He is the son of Robert and Karen Berta. In a 2003 interview with The Evening News, Mr. Berta said he was pursuing a career in either therapy or medicine.
"I've always been interested in how the mind works and how people think," he said in the interview. "I've always wanted to do something in the medical field, to help people."
Evening News sports writer Jeff Meade and the Associated Press contributed to this report.