ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, November 24, 1996 TAG: 9611250181
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BETTY HAYDEN SNIDER STAFF WRITER
Gail Hoback only had time to close her eyes.
The 40-year-old Roanoke County school bus driver watched the small truck in front of her round a sharp curve on U.S. 221 Friday morning, and as it did, the truck's load - steel rods used to reinforce concrete - shifted, shooting rods at the front and side of the bus.
"I was just worried about my kids," Hoback said. "I didn't have any time to react."
One rod headed toward the driver's side window, so Hoback braced herself, but the rod instead speared the bus's stop sign that is extended to stop traffic. The impact shattered the window and side mirror, showering Hoback with glass, all in what seemed like a split second, she said. Another rod hit the windshield, but only cracked it.
Hoback heard other rods strike the side of the bus with enough force to break five windows.
"I just knew that it had hit somebody," she said. "I was just terrified that one of the kids had been hit."
With her side mirror broken, Hoback couldn't see if there was traffic behind her, so she drove a short distance to a straightaway before stopping. The truck stopped in front of her, and three men in a truck behind her pulled over to help.
Though she was covered with glass and had cuts on her head, Hoback's first priority was to check on her students. None of the 10 junior high students on board, all from Bent Mountain, was seriously injured, but one boy was taken to a hospital.
Jonathan Nance, seated three seats behind Hoback, was thrown from his seat and hurt his shoulder. The 13-year-old was treated at a Roanoke hospital and released.
Nance said he didn't see the rods coming, but he heard a loud boom and the sound of glass breaking. He later sent his mother to Hoback's house to check on her.
Hoback, who played down her injuries, didn't seek medical treatment and insisted she was fine.
Mostly, she was relieved. Though tiny bits of glass were sprinkled around the bus and on the students, no one else was cut, or even nicked.
"The good Lord was taking care of everybody on my bus," said Hoback, who prays for a safe trip each morning and thanks God for returning her home to Bent Mountain each evening.
The accident happened about 8 a.m., only a mile from Cave Spring Junior High. Because the school was so close, another bus driver picked up Hobart's students on her way to school.
As for Hobart, she drove the banged-up No.34 to the bus garage in Salem. She wouldn't have it any other way.
"It wasn't no use in sending a spare driver or spare bus," she said, but admitted "it was a little chilly with all the windows down."
Hoback, a county bus driver for three years who substituted before that, rarely misses work, and Friday afternoon was no exception, but her students were surprised to see her behind the wheel.
"I can't believe you're here," several of them said. Her reply?
"Well, you're here."
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: NHAT MEYER/Staff. With no signs of cuts from theby CNBaccident Friday morning, Gail Hoback stands in the new bus she is
driving. She has been driving for Roanoke County for the last three
years. KEYWORDS: 2DA